Infant from the Big Rivers region dies from Murray Valley encephalitis

An infant from the Big Rivers region has become the latest Territorian to die of a mosquito-borne virus, with cases doubling compared to the last five years. Read why the virus is becoming more common.

An infant has become the latest Territorian to die of the mosquito-borne disease Murray Valley encephalitis.

It comes as case numbers double compared to the previous five year period and one third of deaths over the last 20 years recorded in the past three months.

The NT Health Department confirmed on Thursday that the infant, from the Big Rivers region, died in early May.

It makes the child the second person from the NT to die of the disease this year after a woman in her 70s, who was believed to have acquired MVE in the Darwin region, passed away in February.

There have been four cases of the illness in 2023, including two in the Big Rivers region, one in the Barkly region and the Darwin case.

An infant has become the latest Territorian to die of Murray Valley encephalitis.

The figure represents an increase from just two cases over the previous five years across the Territory.

Over the past 20 years, there have only been six deaths from MVE reported in the NT.

MVE is an uncommon, but potentially fatal disease which can only be prevented by avoiding mosquito bites.

Testing done at the Berrimah Veterinary Laboratory confirmed the virus had been detected in mosquitoes in the Top End, Central Australia and Barkly regions.

Medical entomologist Nina Kurucz is warning Territorians to cover-up with Murray Valley encephalitis detected in mosquito samples in Tennant Creek and Alice Springs in late March.

Cases were also detected in Alice Springs and Tennant Creek at the end of March.

NT Health’s medical entomology director Nina Kurucz said there could be a few reasons for the noticeable increase in cases.

“This year for some reason there’s more MVE virus in the environment … but mosquito numbers haven’t been any higher, they have been rather low,” she said.

“That surely has something to do with the heavy rain recently.”

She said monsoonal weather often brought the movement of waterbirds such as egrets, which were known to carry the virus.

With the statistics showing only about one in 1000 people who are bitten by a virus-affected insect developing the disease, Ms Kurucz warned Territorians to cover up.

“People who haven’t been exposed or live in an area where the virus is endemic are more vulnerable, for example young kids,” she said.

“There is still a risk until all water bodies dry up, so we are letting people know that the virus is out there and can be fatal, and has been fatal in some cases.”

“Mosquitoes that can transmit MVE and Japanese encephalitis are most active after sundown, during the night and early in the morning.”