1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:04,640 Speaker 1: Joining me on the line right now is doctor Pasqualina Coffee, 2 00:00:04,680 --> 00:00:08,119 Speaker 1: who is indeed the Center for Disease Controls Acting Director. 3 00:00:08,440 --> 00:00:12,240 Speaker 1: Good morning to you, Good morning, Thanks so much for 4 00:00:12,280 --> 00:00:15,080 Speaker 1: your time this morning, doctor Coffee. Now tell us we 5 00:00:15,200 --> 00:00:18,760 Speaker 1: know that an additional forty thousand territoriums are now going 6 00:00:18,760 --> 00:00:21,960 Speaker 1: to be eligible to receive the free Japanese in cafalitis 7 00:00:22,040 --> 00:00:24,720 Speaker 1: virus vaccine. It's all in an effort to ensure that 8 00:00:24,760 --> 00:00:29,040 Speaker 1: people living in high risk areas are protected. I guess firstly, 9 00:00:29,080 --> 00:00:31,280 Speaker 1: if you can tell us for those out there who 10 00:00:31,360 --> 00:00:36,760 Speaker 1: don't know what JEV Japanese in kefalitis virus is, just 11 00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:37,760 Speaker 1: explain it to us. 12 00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:41,800 Speaker 2: Sure, it's a Japanese in cavaliitis. It's a rare but 13 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:45,440 Speaker 2: serious infection caused by the Japanese in caffalitis virus or JV. 14 00:00:46,120 --> 00:00:49,599 Speaker 2: And this virus can be transmitted by a mosquito when 15 00:00:49,600 --> 00:00:52,880 Speaker 2: they buy it, sayin infected animal, and then buy a 16 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:55,800 Speaker 2: human with that virus in it. So then the vast 17 00:00:55,840 --> 00:00:59,320 Speaker 2: majority of people infected with JE virus will not develop 18 00:00:59,360 --> 00:01:02,200 Speaker 2: any symptoms. And we're talking about ninety nine times out 19 00:01:02,200 --> 00:01:05,000 Speaker 2: of one hundred. But on the rare occasions, it can 20 00:01:05,080 --> 00:01:07,400 Speaker 2: course of your disease because it affects our brain, it 21 00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:09,840 Speaker 2: causes inflammation there and so this can lead to some 22 00:01:09,880 --> 00:01:12,559 Speaker 2: pretty serious consequences and maybe even death. 23 00:01:13,319 --> 00:01:16,240 Speaker 1: So obviously we're in a situation now where more than 24 00:01:16,319 --> 00:01:19,960 Speaker 1: forty thousand people are an additional forty thousand Territorians now 25 00:01:19,959 --> 00:01:23,319 Speaker 1: going to be eligible to receive that free vaccine who 26 00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:25,759 Speaker 1: would need to go out and make sure that they 27 00:01:25,800 --> 00:01:28,800 Speaker 1: get that vaccine. 28 00:01:27,880 --> 00:01:31,040 Speaker 2: Okay, So at this stage, the vaccination for Japanese and 29 00:01:31,080 --> 00:01:35,120 Speaker 2: capitalitis is recommended essentially for two reasons. Either you're inner 30 00:01:35,160 --> 00:01:40,240 Speaker 2: location where we've seen the virus in mosquitos or in 31 00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:43,280 Speaker 2: animals wild animals in that region. Or you've got an 32 00:01:43,280 --> 00:01:45,800 Speaker 2: occupation or risk so you're either working there or you've 33 00:01:45,920 --> 00:01:47,920 Speaker 2: got a job that naturally puts you in touch with 34 00:01:47,960 --> 00:01:51,160 Speaker 2: a lot of mosquitoes or things like bell pigs. So 35 00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:55,440 Speaker 2: at this stage we've expanded it out to important locations 36 00:01:55,440 --> 00:01:59,360 Speaker 2: around Darwin. So these include the suburbs of Leepoint your 37 00:01:59,400 --> 00:02:04,120 Speaker 2: Head or Laghi Karama Malac, as well as a Darn 38 00:02:04,200 --> 00:02:06,720 Speaker 2: rural area and also the Tenant Creek township. 39 00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:09,720 Speaker 1: And how many cases have we had in the northern territory. 40 00:02:10,680 --> 00:02:13,320 Speaker 2: Thankfully, we've only had three cases and we haven't had 41 00:02:13,360 --> 00:02:15,639 Speaker 2: a case actually since June twenty twenty two. 42 00:02:16,480 --> 00:02:19,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, right, And so why is it, I guess so 43 00:02:19,200 --> 00:02:22,240 Speaker 1: important that those living in those areas do actually make 44 00:02:22,280 --> 00:02:24,360 Speaker 1: sure that they go and get the vaccine. 45 00:02:25,840 --> 00:02:29,240 Speaker 2: It's because we have been finding it in mosquitoes that 46 00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:31,520 Speaker 2: we're trapping. So we've got teams that are going out 47 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:34,600 Speaker 2: and doing lots of different visits to different sites just 48 00:02:34,639 --> 00:02:38,240 Speaker 2: to assess areas where the virus might be circulating. And 49 00:02:38,280 --> 00:02:42,399 Speaker 2: also our colleagues who managed the deferral animals as well 50 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:45,119 Speaker 2: have been testing there. So that's why we found quite 51 00:02:45,160 --> 00:02:47,320 Speaker 2: a bit around fell pigs across the top end. 52 00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:50,320 Speaker 1: Yeah, we've had that discussion before. I know that we 53 00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:52,720 Speaker 1: have caught up with the Center for Disease Control before 54 00:02:52,760 --> 00:02:56,880 Speaker 1: about the prevalence in pigs. How are those numbers looking 55 00:02:56,919 --> 00:02:57,959 Speaker 1: at this point? 56 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:01,160 Speaker 2: Unfortunately, it looks like, you know, there's a fair bit 57 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:03,640 Speaker 2: out there. So we don't think the virus is going 58 00:03:03,720 --> 00:03:05,760 Speaker 2: to go away anytime soon, and that's why it's really 59 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:08,280 Speaker 2: important for the public to get out, get in front 60 00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:10,320 Speaker 2: and get yourself protected with the vaccine. 61 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:12,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, and I guess the main thing is as well, 62 00:03:12,320 --> 00:03:14,440 Speaker 1: is to avoid those mosquito bites, isn't it? 63 00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:17,520 Speaker 2: Absolutely? And that's up to everyone. You know, we can 64 00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:19,480 Speaker 2: all do us a bit to protect ourselves because it's 65 00:03:19,520 --> 00:03:23,280 Speaker 2: not only Japanese and caphalitis. Unfortunately with our tropical climbate 66 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:26,480 Speaker 2: up here, you know there's other mosquito born diseases as well. 67 00:03:26,520 --> 00:03:28,320 Speaker 2: That it makes a lot of sense to do your 68 00:03:28,320 --> 00:03:30,320 Speaker 2: best to protect yourself the mosquito bites. 69 00:03:30,440 --> 00:03:32,720 Speaker 1: Yeah, and just I mean most of us are aware 70 00:03:32,760 --> 00:03:35,720 Speaker 1: of how to protect ourselves. But Pascolna, what would you 71 00:03:35,760 --> 00:03:37,680 Speaker 1: say the best things to make sure that we're doing. 72 00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:41,960 Speaker 2: Oh, look, you know, just be careful. We're protective clothing, 73 00:03:42,320 --> 00:03:44,280 Speaker 2: really pay attention to try to cover up your feet, 74 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:47,920 Speaker 2: legs and arms. You know, think about when mosquitos are 75 00:03:47,960 --> 00:03:50,000 Speaker 2: most active, and that's going to be dusk and dawn, 76 00:03:50,760 --> 00:03:53,760 Speaker 2: and particularly for those with kids and you know, young infants, 77 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:57,360 Speaker 2: you know, they can't really protect themselves, so always pay 78 00:03:57,360 --> 00:04:00,320 Speaker 2: attention and remember to get them covered up. And just 79 00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:03,960 Speaker 2: making sure we're using good protective repellents. So either beat 80 00:04:04,360 --> 00:04:08,760 Speaker 2: the currieden or PMD so it's a lemon eucalypted ones 81 00:04:08,920 --> 00:04:11,960 Speaker 2: on any exposed skin. And then if you're going camping 82 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:14,440 Speaker 2: and things like that, make sure that you're you know, 83 00:04:14,680 --> 00:04:17,680 Speaker 2: you've got a mosquito proof tent. All your caravans and 84 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:19,800 Speaker 2: stuff have good fly screens on them well. 85 00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:23,920 Speaker 1: The acting director of the Center for Disease Control, doctor 86 00:04:23,960 --> 00:04:28,520 Speaker 1: Pascualna Coffee, We really appreciate your time this morning. Thank you, 87 00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:30,400 Speaker 1: thank you, thanks for having a chat with us.