South Australia records first Japanese encephalitis death as cases rise across Australia

Another state has recorded its first death linked to Japanese encephalitis as cases continue to climb across Australia.

South Australia has confirmed its first death from the mosquito-borne disease Japanese encephalitis, as well as four new cases.

The latest death brings the national toll to three after people in NSW and Victoria lost their lives to the virus.

An eighth person in NSW was reported as testing positive to Japanese encephalitis on Friday, while four more cases were detected in SA.

NSW Health is urging the state to remain vigilant and take precautions against getting mosquito bites as cases of the virus continue to rise.

The new confirmed case is a man in his 50s from the Temora area in the state’s Riverina region.

He was hospitalised with the virus but has since been discharged and is continuing to recover at home.

Australia’s acting chief medical officer Sonya Bennett declared that the virus was of national significance earlier this month.

“The JE virus is spread by mosquitoes and can infect animals and humans,” NSW Health said in a statement.

“The virus cannot be transmitted between humans, and it cannot be caught by eating pork or other pig products.”

Twenty-four cases of encephalitis have been recorded across Australia, including seven in Victoria, eight in South Australia and one in Queensland.

Two of those infections were fatal, with one death recorded in both NSW and Victoria.

NSW Health has said there is no specific treatment for JE, but less than one per cent of cases will develop serious symptoms such as severe neurological illness or death.

Symptoms include headache, convulsions and reduced consciousness in some cases.

“The best thing people throughout the state can do to protect themselves and their families against JE is to take steps to avoid mosquito bites,” it said.

The federal government last week announced a $69m plan to combat the virus, including the acquisition of 130,000 vaccine doses.

Vaccinations are only recommended at this stage to people with direct exposure or proximity to pigs and mosquitoes.

Another $17.5m will be spent on surveillance and control programs to monitor the spread of the disease from animals to humans and vice versa.

People can protect themselves by using insect repellent (containing the chemicals picaridin or DEET) on exposed skin, wearing loose fitting clothing and fitting windows with flyscreens or nets.