Mosquitoes carrying a virus causing Japanese encephalitis have been found for the first time this year in Yeongi County, South Chungcheong Province, the Chungnam Health and Environment Research Institute said Friday, advising residents to take precautions against the disease.
After analyzing 3,450 mosquitoes collected throughout the county from June 19 to 20, the institute found three encephalitis-carrying mosquitoes, called Culex tritaeniorhynchus.
Japanese encephalitis is a virus spread by mosquitoes. It causes high fever, headaches and vomiting. The symptoms may appear between five to 15 days after being bitten although 95 percent of those infected with the virus do not show any symptoms.
But the mortality rate is estimated to reach 60 percent for infected persons who become ill.
The institute advised people to refrain from outdoor activities at dawn or after sunset when mosquitoes are most active, stressing parents should check the inoculation history of children under 15 and take them for shots if they have not received them.
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