Health authorities have announced more Japanese encephalitis (JE) cases in the state of Penang. There have been six in total now - the most recent were children from the same district as previous cases, Sungai Bakap, but also in Balik Pulau, a town on Penang Island. Read more. More on JE with Taiwan registering its youngest case, a 3mo baby from Changhua County, taking the country’s YTD total to 13.
Advice for travellers
A mosquito-borne virus, JE is usually found in many part of Asia, the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia and China, although cases also occur in Indonesia and PNG. It is mainly found in rural areas around rice paddies where pigs, wading birds and humans live closely together, however it does also occur in or near cities. The risk to short-stay travellers who confine their travel to large urban centres and use appropriate mosquito bite avoidance measures is low. The recommendations for vaccination are itinerary-specific. Read more on JE.
Before you travel, call Travelvax Australia’s telephone advisory service on 1300 360 164 (toll-free from landlines) for country-specific advice and information. You can also make an appointment at your nearest Travelvax clinic to obtain vaccinations, medication to prevent or treat illness, and accessories for your journey.