Overview
- WA Health confirmed Wednesday that one adult traveller who was likely infected in early May in the West Kimberley has died after being transferred to a Perth hospital.
- The state’s sentinel chicken and mosquito monitoring programs have detected Murray Valley encephalitis activity in the Kimberley and Pilbara this year, which triggered regional health alerts.
- Murray Valley encephalitis is spread by infected mosquitoes, has no vaccine, and while most infections cause no symptoms a small number lead to severe brain inflammation, long‑term disability or death.
- Health authorities are urging people with symptoms such as severe headache, confusion, fever or neck stiffness to seek prompt medical care and to avoid mosquito bites by using repellent, nets and protective clothing.
- WA’s Repel, Prevent, Protect program, rolled out in 2025, supplies free repellent in high‑risk locations and officials warn that the wet season and the weeks after it remain the highest risk period with elevated risk possibly persisting into July, affecting residents and tourists.