news desk Lord, save her
in Murray Valley Encephalitis (MVE) follow-up MVE infection in Victoria, Australia Two additional cases of MVE, including one death, have been confirmed in Victoria, Health officials report.
This brings the total number of Victorian cases to three and the number of deaths from the virus to two for this mosquito season.
All cases spent time in Northern Victoria during the acquisition periods.
The second case of MVE is a woman in her 60s who died in late February and was likely exposed to infected mosquitoes in the Greater Bendigo Local Government Area (LGA), but also spent time in the Swan Hill LGA during the acquisition period.
The third case is of a man in his 70s who may have been exposed to infected mosquitoes in the Campaspe Shire LGA. The man was taken to hospital, where he is still receiving treatment. Local councils carry out mosquito control activities in the affected areas.
The Ministry of Health is investigating a number of other suspected cases of MVE/JE. The last outbreak of MVE in Victoria was in 1974.
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The risk of contracting mosquito-borne diseases is high due to recent weather conditions and high numbers of mosquitoes across Victoria. Mosquitoes can spread diseases such as Japanese encephalitis, MVE, and West Nile/Congen virus infection. MVE virus and West Nile virus (Kunjin) continue to be detected in mosquitoes trapped in parts of northern Victoria, and it is likely that JE virus also circulates in mosquito populations. The risk of more human cases in the coming weeks remains very high.
MVE is a rare but serious infection that spreads in the brain to humans by infected mosquitoes. There is no vaccine for MVE, and the best way to prevent it is to protect yourself from mosquito bites.
