The best protection against mosquito-borne illness is to avoid mosquito bites.
Families can protect against mosquito bites by:
- making mosquito protection part of getting ready to go outside, just like sunscreen and a hat
- covering up as much as possible with long, loose-fitting, light-coloured clothing
- applying insect repellent that contains picaridin or DEET on exposed skin when outdoors
- limiting outdoor activities at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are often most active
- cleaning up and removing containers and items around the home that may hold water where mosquitoes may breed.
Families with any health concerns should see their doctor or phone Nurse-on-Call: 1300 606 024 (available 24 hours).
Free Japanese encephalitis vaccines
Japanese encephalitis virus is spread to humans through bites from infected mosquitoes. It can cause a rare but potentially serious infection of the brain.
A free vaccine is available to eligible Victorians at higher risk of the virus.
For more information, including vaccine eligibility, refer to the Department of Health’s Japanese encephalitis webpage.
Find out more
For more information on protecting against mosquito-borne diseases, families can refer to the following Better Health Channel pages:
- Protect yourself from mosquito-borne disease, including a handy checklist to help reduce mosquito breeding sites at home and resources translated into other languages.