Just a month after Victoria health officials issued a health advisory concerning the risk of mosquito-borne diseases such as Ross River virus, Barmah Forest virus and Murray Valley encephalitis in the region, health authorities have detected six cases of Ross River virus in Casey and Frankston, according to a local media account.
Chief Health Officer Professor Charles Guest said the six patients in Melbourne had not traveled to areas where Ross River virus was usually found.
Australia has seen record numbers of the mosquito borne disease in recent years.
Ross River virus disease (RRVD) is a mosquito borne virus. About 55%–75% of people who are infected do not feel sick, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
For those who do feel sick, symptoms of RRVD include joint pain and swelling, muscle pain, fever, tiredness, and rash. Most patients recover within a few weeks, but some people experience joint pain, joint stiffness or tiredness for many months.
RRVD infection cannot be spread from person to person. It is found throughout Australia, Papua New Guinea, parts of Indonesia and the western Pacific Islands.
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