26 May 2011

Rare mosquito-borne illness kills tourist

2:02 pm on 26 May 2011

A 19-year-old Canadian tourist has died after contracting one of Australia's rarest mosquito-borne diseases.

The woman became unwell when she arrived home from a holiday in the Northern Territory earlier this month and was admitted to hospital in Calgary, Alberta, where she died on Tuesday.

She is the third person in the Northern Territory to contract Murray Valley encephalitis (MVE) this year. Earlier this month a 27-year-old man died from the disease in South Australia.

Unlike other mosquito-borne illnesses, which are not typically fatal, MVE kills about 25% of those who contract it, and can cause paralysis and brain damage. There are no specific medical treatments for it.

The Northern Territory Department of Health has issued a warning advising people to cover up to avoid being bitten.