A woman is still fighting for life in a Brisbane hospital after contracting a rare yet deadly mosquito-borne virus, with more cases expected to be confirmed across the country.
Health authorities in Queensland, NSW and Victoria are on high alert after a number of cases and “probable cases” of Japanese encephalitis were detected in humans.
There are mounting concerns recent flooding across the three states could be a catalyst for more infections, considering cases rarely have been confirmed outside of the tropics.
One woman in her 60s is on life support at the Prince Charles Hospital, while in NSW one person who lives near the Victorian border is in intensive care in a stable condition.
NSW Health authorities say testing of several more patients is ongoing, and information about any new cases will be immediately made public.
A Queensland Health spokesman said that unlike Covid-19, Australians should not expect to see a ballooning number of Japanese encephalitis cases.
Victorian health authorities are aware of eight suspected cases, including two in children under the age of 10 and six adults aged between 35 and 75.
In addition, 14 piggeries across NSW, South Australia, Queensland and Victoria have now confirmed outbreaks in animals.
The new cases have prompted the federal government to declare the virus a communicable disease incident of national significance.
Before this year, the disease had never been observed in southern Australia, and very rarely was reported south of Cape York.
Australia’s acting chief medical officer said that due to the spread of the virus, a national team of state and federal officials would tackle the response.
“A national approach is required in relation to co-ordination of health policy, interventions and public messaging,” Sonya Bennett said on Friday
“A national working group of communicable disease, vaccine and arbovirus experts has been established to support the response, including mosquito surveillance and control measures and identification of those at direct risk and for the rollout of vaccines.”
Japanese encephalitis is a viral illness spread by mosquitoes, and while it generally goes undetected, in some cases can cause severe neurological illness with headache, convulsions and reduced consciousness.
In the fewer than one per cent of cases where symptoms do develop, one in three people will die.
The virus cannot be transmitted between humans, nor can it be caught by eating pork or pig products.
