JEV vaccine is available for anyone aged two months or older who live or routinely work in any of the high-risk local government areas (listed below) AND:
*Vaccination can be administered before arrival in flood affected areas to those from other regions deployed for recovery efforts by arrangement
Priority local government areas include: Benella, Buloke, Campaspe, Gannawarra, Greater Bendigo, Greater Shepparton, Hindmarsh, Horsham, Indigo, Loddon, Mildura, Moira, Northern Grampians, Strathbogie, Swan Hill, Towong, Wodonga, Wangaratta, West Wimmera and Yarriambiack.
To book a JEV vaccination with the City of Greater Bendigo during their Friday community clinics click here.
For JEV vaccination appointments provided by Mildura Rural City Council click here.
For further information visit: https://www.health.vic.gov.au/infectious-diseases/japanese-encephalitis-virus#vaccination
People who work at, reside at, or have a planned non-deferable visit to a:
Personnel who work directly with mosquitoes through their surveillance (field or laboratory based) or control and management, and indirectly through management of vertebrate mosquito-borne disease surveillance systems (e.g. sentinel animals) such as:
All diagnostic and research laboratory workers who may be exposed to the virus, such as persons working with JEV cultures or mosquitoes with the potential to transmit JEV, as per the Australian Immunisation Handbook.
The virus cannot be spread from human to human, nor by eating pork.
People most at risk of JEV include those who work with or live near pigs and people who live in northern Victoria, north-west Victoria and along the Murray River.
Those living in or visiting the local government areas of Campaspe, Gannawarra, Greater Shepparton, Indigo, Loddon, Mildura, Moira, Swan Hill, Wodonga, Towong, Benalla, Wangaratta, and Strathbogie should take steps to significantly limit their exposure to mosquitoes during peak mosquito season (October-March).
There have been nine confirmed and three probable human cases of JE virus in Victoria (as of July 2022).
Symptoms typically develop six to 16 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito.
Mild symptoms include the following:
More severe symptoms can include:
It's important to note that most JEV cases are asymptomatic, however, those with severe infection (less than one percent) may develop encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) which may lead to death or permanent disability.
Anyone experiencing symptoms, particularly if they’ve visited northern and north-west Victoria, the Murray River and its surrounds should seek urgent medical attention.
To prevent exposure to mosquitoes:
There is no specific treatment for JEV. For those with symptoms, treatments such as medication are used to reduce the severity of the symptoms. In the rare case of severe infection, hospitalisation is necessary.