A dangerous tropical virus is spreading in Australia

A dangerous tropical virus, Japanese encephalitis, is spreading in Australia. It has been identified in residents in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. The virus is carried by mosquitoes and has already infected 34 people, 3 of whom have died. Many pigs also died. Previously, Australia had never been a region where the tropical diseases characteristic of Asia spread. The climate of the continent was not conducive to rapid transmission of the virus. However, recent floods have meant that the virus has been able to spread through mosquitoes thanks to puddles of stagnant water. Such puddles often appear after the strongest tropical downpours. Thus, the virus has traveled hundreds of kilometers to the southern and western parts of the country via mosquitoes.