In the statement of the Australian Ministry of Health, it was stated that a total of 19 people across the country, 7 people in the state of New South Wales, 1 in the state of Queensland, 4 people in the state of South Australia and 7 people in the state of Victoria, fell ill with the Japanese Encephalitis Virus (JEV) transmitted by mosquito bites.
IT DOESN’T TRANSMIT FROM HUMAN TO HUMAN
According to the news of Yenisafak; It was stated that the number of people who lost their lives due to the virus-related disease across the country is currently 2 people. It has been announced that JEV is transmitted by mosquito bites caused by the flood disasters in the country and is not transmitted from person to person.
COUNTRY-WIDE INTERVENTION NEEDED
Australia’s Acting Chief Medical Officer, Dr Sonya Bennett, has declared it an ‘Infectious Disease Event of National Significance’, with increased cases on 4 March.
Dr. Bennett stated that JEV causes a nationally notifiable disease in both humans and animals, adding that a nationwide response is needed.
WHAT IS JEV?
Japanese encephalitis is a serious disease caused by the Japanese encephalitis virus and is known as inflammation of the brain. It is an acute inflammation of the brain caused by the Japanese Encephalitis (JE) virus, spread by mosquito bites, which can result in brain damage and death.
Endemic by mosquitoes in parts of Asia and the Torres Strait region of Australia (epidemic disease occurring at a predictable rate in a particular area or among a particular population)
THERE IS JEV VACCINE!
In the statement of the Ministry of Health, it was stated that the virus-borne disease usually does not show symptoms in humans, but in rare cases it causes serious illness and even death. It was stated that it is not transmitted from person to person or by eating the meat of an animal carrying the virus. It was also emphasized that there is a vaccine for the disease caused by JEV.
WHAT ARE JEV SYMPTOMS?
It was stated that severe symptoms of JEV-induced disease included nuchal rigidity, coma, and very rarely neurological complications and death. It was emphasized that the disease initially showed symptoms as sudden fever, headache and vomiting.
But about 1 in every 250 people infected with Japanese encephalitis begin to develop more severe symptoms as the infection spreads to the brain. It usually happens 5 to 15 days after infection. Symptoms such as high fever, inability to speak and paralysis can be seen.