Chiayi County's Health Bureau is urging residents to implement mosquito prevention measures and get vaccinated early, following the report of the first case of Japanese encephalitis this year on the 16th. The patient is a middle-aged man from Daling Town who began experiencing fever on the 7th and visited the emergency room twice on the 9th, where he showed slowed speech and altered consciousness, leading to a diagnosis of Japanese encephalitis. He is currently receiving hospitalization treatment.

To prevent the spread of the disease, the Health Bureau has installed mosquito traps around the patient’s activity area in pig farms and is enhancing public health education while urging medical institutions to report cases more rigorously. The peak season for Japanese encephalitis spans from May to October, with the highest incidence occurring from June to July. All age groups are at risk; therefore, the Health Bureau calls on residents to take mosquito prevention measures seriously and encourages adults in high-risk areas to voluntarily receive Japanese encephalitis vaccinations while ensuring that children complete the two-dose schedule on time.

According to the investigation, the patient was engaged in the livestock industry and had no history of international travel. The Health Bureau has conducted an environmental investigation around his home and found high-risk locations, including pigeon coops, pig farms, and rice field ditches, with no record of Japanese encephalitis vaccination. The Bureau has installed mosquito traps in three pig farms and provided health education to pig farmers, along with recommending residents to visit the Chiayi Chang Gung Hospital's travel clinic for consultation and vaccination.

The main mosquitoes that transmit Japanese encephalitis include the Culex tritaeniorhynchus, Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus, and Culex annulirostris, which typically breed in rice fields, ponds, and irrigation ditches. They have peak biting times during dusk and dawn. Most infections are asymptomatic, but some individuals may experience headaches, fevers, and in severe cases, altered consciousness, weakness, and potentially coma or death.

The Health Bureau emphasizes that vaccination is the most effective way to prevent Japanese encephalitis. The standard vaccination schedule for infants in Taiwan includes an initial dose at 15 months of age, followed by a second dose after a 12-month interval. Parents are urged to take their eligible children to local health centers or contracted medical institutions for timely vaccinations to avoid severe complications from potential infections.

Director Zhao Wenhua of the Health Bureau highlighted the importance of personal protective measures, recommending that people avoid outdoor activities during peak mosquito activity times, especially at dusk and dawn near pig farms, animal barns, or rice paddy mosquito breeding sites. If unavoidable, wearing light-colored long-sleeved clothing and using approved mosquito repellents containing DEET, Picaridin, or IR3535 on exposed skin is advised. Additionally, homes should install screens on doors and windows and use mosquito nets while sleeping. Adults who feel they are at risk of infection should seek evaluation at travel medical clinics and consider getting vaccinated at their own expense.