Pig Farmers, Authorities Concerned With Fresh JEV Case

 

 

Health authorities and pig farmers are on high alert after a human case of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) was reported by the Victorian Department of Health in northern Victoria on Friday.  

 

The virus, which is spread from pigs and waterbirds via mosquitos into humans, can cause fever, headache, nausea and vomiting.

 

President of the Victorian Farmers Federation pig division and local Echuca farmer Tim Kingma said  everyone in the industry is working their “butts off” to subdue the virus.

 

“We’re keeping mozzie numbers down around our farms through keeping grasses down, keeping water away [and] we’re spraying.” 

 

Kingma also urged the government to “push” the vaccine rollout. 

 

There are currently 2 JEV vaccines registered for use in Australia, Imojev and JEspect. Both are available to eligible people, free of charge, within high-risk local government areas.  

 

“We got to understand that these vaccines have been used overseas for decades,” he said. 

 

More information on the vaccine can be found here.