Chief Health Officer, Western Australia

The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) has just released a statement on the public health risks of e-cigarettes. health.gov.au/news/ahppc-sta…

Murray Valley encephalitis: summer is over but mosquito-borne disease remains a risk in northern Australia theconversation.com/murray-valley-… via @ConversationEDU

For the first time in 2024, mosquito-borne virus, particularly MVE, has been detected in Pilbara region. health.wa.gov.au/Media-releases…

WA Health is urging Kimberley locals and travellers to protect themselves against mosquito bites, after Murray Valley encephalitis (MVE) was found in mosquitoes and sentinel chickens for the first time this year. health.wa.gov.au/Media-releases…

RSV is a significant disease in very young children. The announced roll-out of a free immunisation for this disease in WA will keep a lot of babies out of hospital in 2024. wa.gov.au/government/med…

Some important public health messages about the risk of rabies from dogs, bat-petting zoos and monkey parks while holidaying overseas. health.wa.gov.au/Media-releases…

Western Australian public hospitals are strengthening mask wearing requirements in response to an increase in COVID-19 infections. health.wa.gov.au/Media-releases…

COVID continues to be an infectious disease of concern as outlined in the attached ABC story (now attached for those unable to access it). abc.net.au/news/2023-11-1…

COVID continues to be an infectious disease of concern as outlined in the attached ABC story.

Measles is a serious disease, particularly in unvaccinated populations.

WA Health has issued a statement reminding residents and visitors to remain vigilant against mosquito bites in South West WA. This follows the first detections of Ross River Virus in routine mosquito surveillance. health.wa.gov.au/Media-releases…

With the partial and total solar eclipse (in Exmouth) coming to WA on 20 April 2023, the Department of Health has provided updated advice on how it should be viewed to prevent eye damage - ww2.health.wa.gov.au/Articles/S_T/S…

Hot weather triggers amoebic meningitis warning - ww2.health.wa.gov.au/Media-releases…

As outlined in the two recent press conferences, this source is a 19 Giga Becquerel Cs 137 source and not a 19 Becquerel source as some news outlets are reporting.

An image of the capsule is below -

Important statement about a missing radioactive source

Young people were less likely to be current daily smokers (7.1%) than in 2011-12 (16.5%) - some interesting insights from a recent ABS publication - abs.gov.au/articles/insig…

Paxlovid is Australia's first-line COVID antiviral but Lagevrio also prevents severe disease in over-70s theconversation.com/paxlovid-is-au… via @ConversationEDU

WA Health has released an evidence brief, which summarises local data regarding the location, proximity and density of healthy and unhealthy food retail outlets, and the impact this has on dietary intake, overweight and obesity - ww2.health.wa.gov.au/~/media/Corp/D…