The Murrumbidgee Local Health District says a rare disease has been detected in a Corowa piggery.
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Director of public health Tracy Oakman said Japanese Encephalitis had been found in three piggeries in the Riverina - Corowa, Grong Grong and Stockinbingal - but she declined to name the sites.
"NSW Health has had six piggeries that they have detected it in, but it has not been confirmed in any humans in NSW," she said.
Ms Oakman said NSW Health was working with the Department of Primary Industries to test further piggeries around the state.
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She said it was uncommon to see the virus, which is spread to humans by mosquito bites, in the district.
"This is unique to Australia," she said.
"It has been in the Torres Strait before, but this is the first time we've detected it more broadly across NSW."
Ms Oakman urged people to keep themselves safe by preventing mosquito bites.
"Only about 1 per cent of people who contract Japanese encephalitis become unwell, but they can become very, very unwell," she said.
"Please make sure that you take precautions, put on mozzie spray with a high DEET component to it.
"Children under the age of three months who are too young to have repellent applied to them, make sure you put them under mosquito nets."
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