Be Careful of Japanese Encephalitis Mosquito

Japanese encephalitis warning has been posted all through the country.

The National Institute of Health (NIH) issued encephalitis alert on the 9th after discovering 4 Japanese encephalitis mosquitoes (22.2 percent) out of 18 mosquitoes collected in Busan on the 2nd.

It is one week earlier than last year that Japanese encephalitis mosquitoes are found, which is caused by the increase of temperature from global warming.

NIH is collecting mosquitoes twice a month from 10 areas over the country including Busan, and examining them cooperating with Public Health and Environmental Research Institution of each city and province.

NIH posts encephalitis alert when Japanese encephalitis mosquito is discovered among the collected, and encephalitis alarm when over 50 percent of them are encephalitis mosquitoes, or encephalitis virus is found in the body.

Japanese encephalitis causes headache, fever, vomit, or diarrhea in the beginning, and leads to high fever, coma, and even paralysis. It has lethality of 5 to 10 percent.

The victims of Japanese encephalitis numbered 3 persons in 1994 and 1998, and one person in 1999 and 2001.

hanscho@donga.com