Chief Health Officer Dr Tarun Weeramanthri has issued an alert that a second confirmed human case of Japanese encephalitis (JE) has been identified in a resident of northern Victoria.
Dr Weeramanthri said that the exposure likely occurred in the Riverina region of New South Wales on the Murray River.
JE virus has also been detected through environmental surveillance along much of the Murray River in Victoria from Mildura to Moira, with additional human cases of Japanese Encephalitis reported in New South Wales and Queensland.
JE virus has also been detected in mosquito populations and at piggeries across Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland this summer.
Residents and people visiting northern Victoria and inland riverine regions of eastern Australia, particularly near the Murray River, are potentially at higher risk of infection and should take measures to prevent mosquito bites including:
* Using mosquito repellent containing picaridin or diethyltoluamide (DEET) on all exposed skin.
* Wearing long, loose fitting clothing when outside, and ensuring that accommodation, including tents are properly fitted with mosquito nettings or screens.
In Victoria, the JE vaccine is available free-of-charge for specific groups at higher risk of exposure to the virus.