Australia will purchase an additional 130,000 doses of vaccines for Japanese encephalitis, as part of a $70m bid to combat the mosquito-borne virus.
Two people have died from the mosquito-borne virus in recent weeks, and a number of piggeries have been impacted prompting the government to ramp up its vaccine supplies.
Deputy chief medical officer Sonya Bennett said it was important to note that “JEV” was not a new virus, but it was new to mainland Australia.
“We hadn’t anticipated seeing it emerge as quickly as it has across piggeries in four states, and the number of human cases we are now also seeing,” Dr Bennett said on Friday.
The vaccines will be administered to people at at-risk areas.
It comes as Health Minister Greg Hunt announced a $2.1 billion package to prepare Australia for a combined influenza and Covid-19 season this winter.
National cabinet will meet on Friday afternoon and will address the anticipated surge in Covid-19 cases over the coming months, coinciding with the first major influenza season since 2019.
The multibillion-dollar package will include txjmtzywhe extension of the concessional rapid antigen test; as well as a boost to personal protective equipment in residential care and disability settings.
“(We are) preparing for the worst contingencies and as ever, seek to beat those outcomes,” Mr Hunt said.
“In terms of all of the predictions of worst-case scenarios with regards to impact on hospitals for omicron, we were able, as a nation, to in fact be the best of the scenarios over the course of summer.
“Not without challenge and difficulty and hardship, but nevertheless with the strong support of all of those involved in the systems.”
Mr Hunt said it was “more likely than not” that some age cohorts, most likely over 65s, would be recommended to get a fourth shot this year, and it could become an annual shot.
