One person has died and seven people have been hospitalised over the past month after being bitten by mosquitoes carrying a string of viruses.
SA Health has warned South Australians to avoid being bitten by the pesky bugs after detecting flaviviruses in southern parts of the country.
As the La Nina weather pattern brings more moisture, along with it comes an increased risk of mosquito-borne diseases like the flavivirus virus.
According to SA Health, there have been seven cases of acute encephalitis – inflammation of the brain – over the past month that required hospitalisation.
One person has died from the condition four remain in hospital.
The health department’s health protection and licensing services executive director Chris Lease said the Kokobera virus, Japanese encephalitis virus, West Nile virus, and Murray Valley encephalitis virus had been detected in recent weeks.
They all belong to a group of viruses called flaviviruses and have been found in pigs or horses in parts of NSW, Victoria and Queensland.
The majority of people who are infected with these viruses are asymptomatic or develop a mild fever, with less than 1 per cent developing encephalitis.
Symptoms of encephalitis, which can be fatal or cause long-term neurological damage, may include confusion, headaches, neck stiffness, tremors, drowsiness and seizures.
“Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is endemic in the Torres Strait and has not previously been detected in NSW or Victoria and has never been detected in South Australia,“ Dr Lease said.
“Murray Valley encephalitis virus (MVEV) and West Nile virus (Kunjin variant) are endemic in birds in northern Australia with occasional cases occurring in humans.
“MVEV rarely occurs in South Australia, with the last case of MVEV notified in 2011.”
Surveillance measures to monitor the JEV are being undertaken by the Department of Primary Industries and Regions.
Ross River virus cases have also increased in SA over summer.
So far this year, 77 cases have been reported across the state compared with 48 cases at the same time last year.
“To protect against mosquito-borne diseases, we are encouraging people to ‘fight the bite’ and take precautions such as wearing long, loose-fitting, light-coloured clothing and using a repellent which contains DEET or picaridin,” Dr Lease said.
“People should also reduce the risk of being bitten by mosquitoes by proofing their homes and by removing any potential breeding sites on their properties.”
