Mosquito bites are annoying but aren’t usually cause for concern. However, a mosquito-borne virus is emerging as a growing global threat, with the Asia Pacific region, particularly at risk. Yet another reason to ensure that you have comprehensive healthcare.
Japanese encephalitis: a growing global threat
As if we don’t all have enough to worry about, a growing health threat is emerging in Asia and the Western Pacific region.
Japanese encephalitis is a dangerous mosquito-borne virus that has been compared to dengue and yellow fever. According to statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO), there are an estimated 68,000 cases each year across the 24 countries in the WHO South-East Asia and Western Pacific regions, which have endemic transmission of this disease. More than 3 billion people are at risk of contracting the illness.
Last month an Australian man in his 60s died from Japanese encephalitis. The risk of infection in Australia is high right now because receding floodwaters provide the perfect conditions for mosquitoes carrying the disease to proliferate.
The CEO of the Encephalitis Society, Dr. Ava Easton, warned Australians on national TV “The flooding in Australia has resulted in more water, more migratory birds and that means more capacity for mosquitoes to feed on what we call these virus hosts such as pigs and water birds. That means the potential to transmit it to humans.”
Symptoms include headaches, fever, and nausea, and anyone exhibiting these signs is urged to seek medical attention. There is currently no cure for Japanese encephalitis. Treatment focuses instead on relieving severe clinical signs and supporting the patient to overcome the infection. Long term treatment is often required as 30-50% of survivors continue to have neurologic, cognitive, or psychiatric symptoms.
Medical insurance to protect against the unexpected
Infinity clients, particularly younger ones, often feel that medical insurance is an expendable cost because they are in rude health. Faced with rapidly rising living costs, they consider that a medical insurance premium is a potential saving that can be made each month.
We understand the thinking behind this, and we appreciate the struggle of many families to cover all the bills each month, but we don’t recommend skimping on medical insurance as a way to save money. We have seen this decision backfire in the long run, leading to huge regrets when it is too late.
Nothing is worth protecting more than our health. It is paramount to our general well-being and our ability to work and support a family. Unfortunately, life poses numerous and often unpredictable threats which can seriously affect our physical and mental health. And because you just never know what life is going to throw at you – from murderous mozzies to debilitating diseases – a health insurance policy is a non-negotiable part of a sound financial plan.
Infinity has partnerships with a wide range of insurance companies. We can work with you to find a medical policy that fits your lifestyle and budgetary requirements to ensure that you and your loved ones are covered should you fall ill for any reason.
Transfer the risk of incurring unmanageable healthcare bills to an insurer and gain peace of mind as well as guaranteed access to the best treatments in the Asia Pacific region. Contact us today to discuss your health insurance requirements.
A leading provider of expat financial services and wealth management services across Asia.
