BRISBANE, Queensland, April 22 -- Queensland Health issued the following media release:
Queenslanders are urged to take measures to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes as health authorities confirmed the first detection of Japanese Encephalitis Virus (JEV) in a pig in Central Queensland.
Queensland Health have confirmed a detection of JEV in the Banana Shire Council area.
JEV is a rare, but potentially serious illness spread by infected mosquitoes. While not everyone infected by JEV will get sick, it can cause serious illness in some people, including inflammation of the brain.
Mosquitoes become infected with JEV after they bite infected pigs or wading birds. JEV can then be spread to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito.
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