Person dies from rare Murray Valley Encephalitis virus in Western Australia
A person has died after contracting Murray Valley Encephalitis, a rare mosquito-borne virus, while travelling in Western Australia's north, marking the first reported death from the virus in WA this year. The individual was likely exposed in early May in the West Kimberley region, about 2,000 kilometres north of Perth, before being transferred to a Perth hospital where they died. Health authorities are urging residents and tourists to protect themselves from mosquito bites as the region enters its peak tourism season, noting the virus can cause serious brain infection though complications remain rare.
Western Australia's Health Department has confirmed a death from Murray Valley Encephalitis, a mosquito-borne virus endemic to the state's north. The adult is believed to have been exposed to the virus in early May in the West Kimberley region and was subsequently transferred to a Perth hospital where they died. Health Department managing scientist Andrew Jardine explained that while many people infected with the virus experience no symptoms or only mild ones, serious complications can include encephalitis—brain swelling that may cause permanent brain damage or death. There is no vaccine for the disease. As thousands of tourists prepare to visit northern Australia during the winter months, health authorities are emphasizing mosquito bite prevention, noting that the risk period extends from the wet season through several weeks into the dry season, potentially until July. The Department of Health operates sentinel chicken and mosquito surveillance programs across the Kimberley and Pilbara regions to detect virus activity.
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- ABC AustraliaCenter
Person dies after contracting rare mosquito-borne disease in WA
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