First Japanese Encephalitis Vector Mosquito Found in Suwon This Year

[News S=Reporter Jeon Si-eon] The city of Suwon in Gyeonggi Province announced that a small red house mosquito, a vector for Japanese encephalitis, has been discovered for the first time this year.

The Suwon City Health Center collected mosquitoes from 10 locations within the city as part of its 'Infectious Disease Vector Mosquito Surveillance Project,' and confirmed the presence of small red house mosquitoes during the first week of August (August 2-8). This is approximately one week later than the typical timeframe of the fifth week of July.

No Japanese encephalitis virus was detected in the collected mosquitoes, confirming there is no risk of infectious disease transmission. Small red house mosquitoes are distributed nationwide and typically appear in large numbers during August and September. In Suwon, only a small number of individuals are confirmed each year.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency issued a nationwide Japanese encephalitis alert on June 18. Most infected individuals develop mild symptoms; however, in rare cases where the infection progresses to encephalitis, severe symptoms such as high fever, convulsions, and paralysis may occur, necessitating medical consultation when similar symptoms appear.

A health center official urged citizens to follow preventive measures including vaccination, use of insect repellent, and wearing long clothing, pledging that the center will prevent infection through continuous mosquito surveillance and control.