Cases of a rare tropical disease called Japanese encephalitis has been discovered along Australia’s east coast in recent weeks.

The disease is rarely fatal, however two people have died in Australia this week after contracting it.

There are a number of confirmed cases in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia, with some of those cases in intensive care.

Today on Please Explain, Brisbane Times health and science reporter Stuart Layt joins Nathanael Cooper to discuss the outbreak that the federal Health Department has declared an "incident of national significance."

Cases of a rare tropical disease called Japanese encephalitis has been discovered along Australia&rsquo;s east coast in recent weeks.
The disease is rarely fatal, however two people have died in Australia this week after contracting it.
There are a number of confirmed cases in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia, with some of those cases in intensive care.
Today on Please Explain, Brisbane Times health and science reporter Stuart Layt joins Nathanael Cooper to discuss the outbreak that the federal Health Department has declared an "incident of national significance."

The Morning Edition (formerly Please Explain) brings you the story behind the story with the best journalists in Australia. Join host Samantha Selinger-Morris from the newsrooms of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, weekdays from 5am.

The Morning Edition (formerly Please Explain) brings you the story behind the story with the best journalists in Australia. Join host Samantha Selinger-Morris from the newsrooms of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, weekdays from 5am.

The Morning Edition

The Morning Edition brings you the story behind the story with the best journalists in Australia. Join host Samantha Selinger-Morris from the newsrooms of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, weekdays from 5am.

The Morning Edition brings you the story behind the story with the best journalists in Australia. Join host Samantha Selinger-Morris from the newsrooms of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, weekdays from 5am.

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