NT residents are advised to cover up and protect themselves from mosquito bites following suspected cases of Murray Valley encephalitis in the Top End and northern WA.
Murray Valley Encephalitis (MVE) is a potentially fatal disease transmitted by the common banded mosquito, Culex annulirostris, which bites after sundown, particularly in the first two hours of the night. About one person in 1000 bitten by infected mosquitoes will contract the disease and, despite best care, one in four of these will die from the infection.
Senior Medical Entomologist Peter Whelan said testing of the sentinel chickens at the Berrimah Veterinary Laboratories has also indicated that MVE virus activity has begun in the Katherine and Barkly regions.
Mr Whelan said, "Precautions against being bitten by mosquitoes should be taken in the Barkly region and all northern regions until the end of July when virus activity is expected to return to a minimum. The warning particularly applies to people visiting or living in rural areas within five kilometres of large coastal and sub-coastal flood plains and swamps and in seasonally flooded areas associated with creeks and rivers."
Precautions include:
- avoid outdoor exposure at dusk and at night in risk areas, and in all areas of high mosquito activity
- ensure all insect screens are installed and mosquito-proof. Use mosquito nets and mosquito-proof tents at night when camping or in unscreened areas
- wear protective, light-coloured clothing with long sleeves, long trousers and socks between dusk and dawn
- use a protective repellent containing diethyl toluamide (DEET) or picaridin when outdoors in areas of mosquito activity.
Mr Whelan said, "There is no need to avoid travel to the risk regions if normal mosquito self-protection is observed. Awareness of the disease and basic measures to avoid mosquito bites are the most important preventative measures."
Usual symptoms of MVE disease include severe headache, high fever, drowsiness, tremor and seizures-especially in young children-and in some cases the condition progresses to delirium and coma, leading to paralysis or brain damage.
While people most at risk of MVE are those with no prior exposure to the virus (including babies, young children, and tourists) cases have been reported in long-term residents. People experiencing the early symptoms of MVE should seek urgent medical attention.
Media enquiries: Darrel Trueman 0401 116 203; Cameron Jackson 0401 116 144
Release date: Friday 20 March 2009