Japanese Encephalitis advisory issued

A child gets vaccination for Japanese Encephalitis in this file photo. / Korea Times file

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDCP) issued an advisory on Japanese Encephalitis after finding mosquitoes carrying the virus in Busan last week, for the first time this year.

The center told residents in Busan to take care not to be bitten by mosquitoes, and to report pools where mosquito larva can survive to community health centers. It added that the mosquitoes haven’t been found in other areas yet.

The KCDCP also advised that mosquito nets should be used in homes, people to refrain from outdoor activities at night, and they should wear long sleeves when outdoors between April and October when the mosquitoes are prevalent.

Infants and children, aged between 12 months to 12 years, are recommended to have vaccinations.

Japanese Encephalitis is an infection carried by a specific type of mosquito. Symptoms include fever, headache, vomiting and stomachache in the early stages, and in serious cases death. It doesn’t spread between humans. Last year, 20 people were diagnosed with Japanese Encephalitis in the country.