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Japanese encephalitis vaccine boost
The Victorian Government has announced a $2.3 million vaccine rollout for those living in at-risk areas.
The vaccine against the mosquito-borne disease is now available to eligible people in 24 regional Victorian local government areas.
Protection from the potentially deadly Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) will be available to more regional Victorians this mosquito season, with the State Government’s announcement of $2.3 million for free vaccines.
The vaccine is now available to eligible people in 24 regional local government areas – mainly inland riverine regions – where there is a higher risk of exposure to the virus.
It comes after JEV was detected across Australia last summer, including in areas where it had not been reported previously, leading experts to urge GPs to be alert for patients with symptoms.
Two vaccines are available through the free vaccination program: Imojev and JEspect.
The subsidised vaccine will be available through GPs, Aboriginal health services, pharmacies and some local councils in the following local government areas:
Alpine, Benalla, Buloke, Campaspe, Gannawarra, Greater Bendigo, Greater Shepparton, Hindmarsh, Horsham, Indigo, Loddon, Macedon Ranges, Mansfield, Mildura, Mitchell, Moira, Northern Grampians, Strathbogie, Swan Hill, Towong, Wangaratta, West Wimmera, Wodonga, and Yarriambiack.
People not from the eligible LGAs who are still eligible for the free vaccine are people who work at, reside at, or have a planned non-deferrable visit to a:
- piggery
- property confirmed to be infected with JEV
- property suspected of JEV infection
- pork abbatoir or pork rendering plant.
For most people, JEV infection is mild, with only 1–4% of people experiencing any symptoms, such as fever, headache, nausea, vomiting and muscle aches.
However, for those people who develop encephalitis,
one in three die from the disease and of those who survive, up to half suffer permanent cognitive, behavioural or neurological effects.
Victoria Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas urged all Victorians to ‘protect themselves and their families’.
‘We are again making the JEV vaccine available for those Victorians most at risk, keeping communities safe from this preventable mosquito-borne disease,’ she said.
The Victorian Government monitors the presence of diseases in mosquitos via its
mosquito surveillance program, which involves the regular trapping of mosquitoes for identification, counting and testing. Reporting for the 2025–26 mosquito season began on 5 November.
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