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As reported by the Daily Mail, a 60-year-old woman living in the county of Buloke (state of Victoria, Australia) was the first local person in 50 years to contract Murray Valley encephalitis and die from it.Aiding the proliferation of the virus-carrying mosquitoes, which are typical of the northern part of the state of Victoria, were allegedly the severe floods that hit the area in 2022 and created the perfect conditions for the insects to breed.

The Murray Valley encephalitis is an inflammation of the brain that can, potentially, cause brain damage and in severe cases even death. It is a rare but serious infection and is transmitted through the bite of infected mosquitoes. The Murray Valley encephalitis currently has no vaccine that can counteract it, and the only way to avoid the disease is to take extra care by adopting precautionary methods of behavior suggested by medical authorities.

Most people affected by the virus have no symptoms while others may develop the disease, with mild symptoms from which they recover completely. The most common symptoms are fever, headache, nausea and vomiting, and muscle aches. Those who develop severe symptoms, on the other hand, may have severe headaches, neck stiffness, seizures, sensitivity to light, drowsiness, loss of consciousness, or even coma. Anyone with symptoms should contact a doctor immediately.

With no vaccines available, the only way to try to fight the virus is to prevent it. Simple precautions include wearing long, loose, light-colored clothing, using insect repellents, removing standing water around homes or properties, and avoiding the outdoors when mosquitoes are spotted, especially at dusk and dawn.

Although there is no vaccine for the Murray Valley encephalitis, residents of the state of Victoria can benefit from the coverage offered by the Japanese encephalitis vaccine.