South Korea: Health officials issue Japanese Encephalitis alert

Event

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a nationwide alert for Japanese Encephalitis (JE) following the April 1 identification of the Culex tritaeniorhynchus mosquito - a known vector of the disease - in the city of Busan. However, no cases have been reported as of mid-April. Authorities have implemented public health measures, including vaccination campaigns, to prevent an outbreak of the disease.

Context

In 2017, two fatal cases of Japanese Encephalitis were reported in South Korea. Typical encephalitis is spread via mosquito bite, with symptoms including headache, fever, aches in muscles or joints, fatigue, or weakness. The symptoms of the more serious Japanese encephalitis include fever, headache, vomiting, confusion, difficulty moving, swelling around the brain, and coma. Symptoms typically develop five to 15 days after infection.

Advice

Individuals are advised to take measures to protect themselves from mosquito bites - e.g. by wearing covering clothing, using insect repellent, and sleeping under mosquito-netting or in an air conditioned room.