Another new virus has hit Australia. The virus, known as ‘Japanese encephalitis’, has spread to Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. The new mosquito-borne virus has so far infected 15 people and killed three.
About 80 million Doller will be spent to fighting the virus, which has been identified in four Australian states.
The country’s health authorities are warning citizens to take precautions against mosquito bites. Mosquitoes can infect animals and humans.
The virus has previously been seen in parts of Papua New Guinea and parts of the Torres Strait, but this is the first time in mainland Australia.
In 1871, The first outbreak in Japan was named “Japanese Encephalitis Virus” (JVV). The virus is transmitted from mosquitoes to humans. It is not transmitted from one person to another.
Japanese encephalitis virus is a mosquito-borne disease associated with dengue and yellow fever.
Sonia Bennett, Australia’s deputy chief medical officer, said the virus was new to mainland Australia but was not new internationally and had been successfully vaccinated against it for decades. Australia has already announced the import of 130,000 vaccines.
The federal government will launch a public information campaign to combat the spread of Japanese encephalitis in Australia.
To understand the spread of the virus, the government has stepped up surveillance on the activities of mosquitoes and other animals. The government is developing a model for the spread of the potential virus, as well as controlling mosquitoes.
The government will spend 5 million on an information and awareness campaign to help people understand how to protect themselves.
10 million will be spent to support state and regional agriculture departments to play a role in controlling the virus.
Experts say the life cycle of the virus is very complex. It depends not only on the specific type of mosquito that carries ‘Culex annuliostris’ but also on several other species. We don’t really understand how it got to our shores. ‘