Ross River cases are on the rise

QUEENSLAND is experiencing a bad year for Ross River fever with cases up more than a third compared to the average for the past five years.

Data provided by Queensland Health shows 3258 people have been diagnosed with the mosquito-borne virus across the state in 2020 – 833 more than the 2015-19 mean of 2425 at this time of the year.

Gold Coast University Hospital emergency doctor Hayley Frieslich is one of many known cases of the energy sapping virus across the state this year.

Dr Frieslich, in her early 40s, wanted to raise awareness about the virus, and its debilitating effects, after developing headaches, sore muscles and sore joints over a fortnight from early last month.

“After two weeks of just feeling really lousy, I started to have some quite high temperatures,” she said.

Blood tests showed she had

Ross River fever. Although Dr Frieslich has returned to work, public health physician Vicki Slinko said that in some people, symptoms of Ross River fever could continue for up to a year.

“It often affects the joints of your fingers, you can have difficulty writing, that’s an issue at work, all those sorts of things,” Dr Slinko said.

Dr Frieslich urged Queenslanders to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes.

“There is no treatment for this,” she said. “The best way to treat it is to prevent getting it. Be aware in those higher times of getting bitten, which is dawn and dusk, and use repellents, wear your long-sleeve clothing and think about your children as well.”

Dr Slinko also urged Queenslanders to use mosquito lanterns, coils or plug-in repellent devices.

She said they should also ensure their fly screens and screens over water tanks were in good order.