A mosquito-borne virus has been declared a Communicable Disease Incident of National Significance (CDINS) by Australia’s Acting Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr Sonya Bennett.
Dr Bennett said she made the declaration on the Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) after determining that a national approach was required for the coordination of health policy, interventions and public messaging.
“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,” Dr Bennett said.
“Public health communications regarding mosquito protection will target affected communities,” she said.
“The Australian Government’s health and agriculture Departments are working very closely with their State Government counterparts to ensure a swift and coordinated response.”
Dr Bennett said the Department of Health was aware of cases, across multiple States, of encephalitis of unknown origin that were being investigated for arboviral diseases, including JEV.
The A/CMO said JEV was a mosquito-borne viral disease that mostly occurred in pigs and horses but could cause disease in people and, rarely, in other animals.
“Humans can become infected with JEV through the bite of an infected mosquito,” she said.
“The virus cannot be transmitted between humans and it cannot be caught through eating pork or pig products.”
Dr Bennett said less than one per cent of people infected may develop a serious illness such as encephalitis and experience symptoms including neck stiffness; severe headache and coma; and, more rarely, permanent neurological complications or death.
She said the vast majority of infected people would show mild or no symptoms at all.
