NSW's first-ever locally acquired human cases of the potentially deadly Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) have been detected in a man and a child living near the border with Victoria.
Health officials say other patients are being tested for the mosquito-borne virus and more cases are expected to be confirmed in coming days.
One of the cases, a man from the Corowa area, was the probable case first reported by NSW Health on Friday.
The man remains in a serious condition in an ICU ward at a Victorian hospital.
The second case is a child from the Wentworth area in the far south-west of NSW. The child has been discharged from ICU but continues to receive hospital care.
NSW Health is concerned about the spread of JEV in the border region and is calling on the community to take care not to be bitten by mosquitoes.
JEV is an illness developed in pigs and horses and spread by infected mosquitoes.
It can be fatal for humans, however, less than 1 per cent of infected people develop symptoms.
The virus has now been detected in four Australian states, an outbreak which has been declared a Communicable Disease Incident of National Significance by the Acting Chief Medical Officer, Dr Sonya Bennett.
There is a vaccine but no specific treatment for JEV, which can cause severe neurological illness with headache, convulsions and reduced consciousness in some cases.
The virus cannot be spread person-to-person or through eating animals.
Mosquito control activities are being carried out near farms where pigs are confirmed to have been infected by JEV, and NSW Health is arranging vaccination of workers on affected farms.
NSW Health acting chief health officer Dr Marianne Gale said the best thing people can do to protect themselves against JEV is to take steps to avoid mosquito bites.
“We are working closely with the NSW Department of Primary Industries and other states and territories to determine the extent to which the virus is circulating,” Dr Gale said.
“Unfortunately, our recent wet weather has led to very high mosquito numbers, so we need the community to be particularly vigilant and take steps to avoid mosquito bites.
“We know mosquitoes are most active between dusk and dawn, and we need people planning activities near waterways or where mosquitoes are present to be especially cautious, particularly those in the vicinity of the Murray River and its branches.”
