A rise in local Ross River virus cases has sparked a warning from Sunshine Coast Health.
Locals are urged to be extra vigilant when it comes to avoiding mosquito bites this summer, especially after the recent rain.
So far this year there have been 389 cases of Ross River virus on the Sunshine Coast, which is 1.7 times higher than the five-year average.
Sunshine Coast Health Public Health Physician Dr Nicolas Smoll said cases can occur year-round but numbers become particularly worse in summer and after rain.
“This year has been a year where we’ve had quite a bit more rain than we normally do which can contribute to large amounts of freshwater being stagnant and lying around and therefore great mosquito breeding grounds,” he said.
Ross River virus is a mosquito borne disease that causes inflammation and pain in multiple joints.
Symptoms can include fever with joint pain, swelling and a raised red rash. While most people recover in a few weeks, for some people symptoms persist for months.
There have also been 50 recorded cases of Barmah Forest virus in the region this year, which has similar symptoms to Ross River but usually lasts for a shorter duration.
Since there is no specific drug treatment available for either, Dr Smoll said prevention is key.
“If you’re going to go out and you’re going to put sunscreen on, consider at the same time putting mosquito repellent on and even better we’d love to see long sleeve shirts and long sleeve pants,” he said.
Dr Smoll said the same advice goes for overseas travellers.
“Australia’s been seeing one of the greatest surges of overseas acquired dengue in a very long time,” he said.
“A lot of that reason is there’s been large outbreaks of dengue overseas, in particular in Thailand and Bali, so it’s really important for people who are travelling to wear long sleeves and cover themselves in mosquito repellent.”
There have been 38 recorded cases of Dengue on the Sunshine Coast this year, which is four times higher than the five-year average.
Anyone with symptoms should see their GP immediately.
