Mosquito bites could transmit Ross River or Barmah Forest virus to people this autumn.
NSW Health’s Arbovirus Monitoring Program has detected the virus in mosquitoes around the Hawkesbury, Georges River and Homebush.
Health authorities are therefore urging people to take special care not to get bitten this season.
The department also reported a sharp increase in cases, with 539 notifications of Ross River virus in NSW, compared with only 79 for the same period last year.
This and Barmah Forest virus do not affect all people, but those infected can experience symptoms such as tiredness, fever and pains in the joints.
Children are rarely affected by the virus, but precautions should still be taken.
Most people recover within several days, but some can endure illness for weeks or months.
There is no specific treatment for these viruses, so the best course is to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes.
‘‘All people are susceptible to Ross River virus unless they have developed immunity from a prior infection,’’ the public health director of the Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District, Bradley Forssman, said.
‘‘However, up to 60 per cent of people who are infected with the virus may not have any symptoms. It is particularly important for people planning to take trips during the Easter holidays to be prepared with measures to prevent mosquito bites.’’
Such measures include:
Staying indoors at dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are most active, and covering the skin as much as possible when you are outdoors.
Applying mosquito repellent regularly to exposed skin, as directed on the container. Repellents containing Diethyl Toluamide (DEET) or Picaridin are best.
However, do not use repellents on babies under the age of three months. Instead, use physical barriers such as netting on prams, cots and play areas.
If camping, use flyscreens and sleep under mosquito nets.
Deprive mosquitoes of breeding places by regularly emptying outdoor containers of water.
More information: health.nsw.gov.au.
