<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Victorian man Stephen Bond has been left fighting for his life in hospital after contracting the deadly Japanese Encephalitis virus from a mosquito bite.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Bond told his family he was experiencing a headache and fever in early December.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Just a few days later, his health had deteriorated and he was taken to the intensive care unit at Shepparton Hospital, before he was airlifted to St Vincent's Hospital in Melbourne.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/la-fires-sad-images-capture-the-true-extent-of-damage/fc5c8a03-365e-4823-afa5-59089ef85e7a" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Before and after photos expose the extent of the devastating LA wildfires</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Almost three weeks on, Bond remains in critical condition with what was confirmed to be Japanese Encephalitis.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The virus is typically found in infected mosquitoes in rural and agricultural areas in Asia and the West Pacific.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>While cases are usually mild, it can cause severe brain swelling and even death on rare occasions.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/victoria-stephen-bond-fighting-for-life-following-deadly-mosquito-bite/03ca1e7d-d053-43c9-ae26-d418286ca849" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This beautiful, kind, loving, funny and much-loved man is fighting for his life," Michelle Barnes wrote on an online fundraiser.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Doctors have advised Cilla and family that should Steve be able to continue his fight and his brain start to recover, the recovery will take months in ICU and years of rehabilitation.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"His future capacity to live is unknown.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It's unimaginable to think how a bloody mosquito can do this to this beautiful country boy with a heart of gold and put his family through their darkest days."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/missing-hiker-hadi-nazari-new-photos-of-the-moment-he-was-found-in-kosciuszko-national-park-nsw/496b1fb3-3b1b-4dad-92b4-e1f5bd57266c" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>'Thank God': Moment missing hiker is found after 13 days</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Bond's wife and children have relocated to Melbourne to be by his side.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>According to Victoria Health, it is the first identified case of Japanese Encephalitis in the state this summer.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/health/japanese-encephalitis-moree-detected-mosquitoes-murray-valley-encephalitis-disease-health-news/2df36ca8-3f14-4991-8215-5819c1e7ea4a" rel="" target="_blank" title="NSW Health has this week issued a warning"><span>NSW Health has this week issued a warning</span></a><span> over the virus after mosquitoes in Moree were found to be carrying Japanese Encephalitis.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It was also detected in mosquitoes in Griffith about a month ago.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Murray Valley encephalitis virus, another potentially deadly mosquito-borne virus, has also been found in chicken flocks in Cowra and West Wyalong.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Australians are urged to be aware of the risk and take measures to protect against mosquito-borne diseases, like covering up with long and loose-fitting clothing and using repellents.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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