Health authorities have renewed their call to anyone who has been in the state's north near the Murray River, especially near Swan Hill or Echuca following a third death from the mosquito-borne Murray Valley encephalitis virus
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Visitors to the region are urged to watch for symptoms after Victoria recorded two more cases of Murray Valley encephalitis virus and a third Victorian died .
The man aged in his 70s died earlier this month after potentially being exposed to infectious mosquitoes in the northern Campaspe Shire, the health department confirmed on Tuesday.
It comes after two women in their 60s died last month from the disease. One victim, a woman aged in her 60s, was most likely exposed to mosquitoes in the Greater Bendigo region.
It follows the death of a woman in her 60s who lived in the Buloke Shire in the state's northwest in early February.
Symptoms may include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting and muscle aches, although most infected people do not have symptoms. In serious cases, people can develop meningitis or encephalitis - brain inflammations which can be fatal.
There is no vaccine against Murray Valley encephalitis but the virus is known to be circulating in mosquito populations in northern Victoria.
It can cause a rare but potentially serious infection of the central nervous system and people are being urged to reduce the risk of mosquito bites.
Victoria has also recorded one confirmed case of Japanese encephalitis this season.
There is a vaccine available for the Japanese strain, with residents in the northern parts of the state eligible for a free jab.
People travelling to northern Victoria are urged to take extra precautions after a study of more than 800 people revealed one in 30 surveyed exhibited evidence of having a previous Japanese encephalitis infection.
Only one case has been reported this season.
Grampians Health has previously warned Ballarat residents to be careful on holidays, such as visiting the Murray River since flooding, particularly with holiday periods like Easter in April.
"The vast majority of people who contract Ross River, Murray Valley encephalitis and Japanese encephalitis don't get sick at all - but if you do get sick, you can get seriously ill and have neurological damage," Grampians Public Health Unit chief strategy and regions office Rob Grenfell told the Courier last month.
with AAP
