By Deanne Jeffers
RESIDENTS are being warned of a current and active risk of contracting potentially lethal viruses from mosquitoes, such as Japanese encephalitis and Murray Valley encephalitis.
“It has been a big year for mozzies, which is not surprising given the floods. Japanese encephalitis was not previously detected in this region previously, however, there were some human cases detected last year,” explained Dr William Cross, clinical director for the GV Public Health Unit.
He said that while vaccine programs have been successful in Victoria and New South Wales, but prevention is the best practice.
“Unlike Japanese encephalitis, there’s no effective vaccine for Murray Valley encephalitis and that’s why it’s important to take precautions not to be bitten.
“Also, mozzies can spread a lot of common viruses that aren’t encephalitis but that that can make you very sick, such as Ross River Virus and Barmah Forest Virus, which are common to the area,” said Dr Cross.
He provided the following advice for keeping yourself and your family safe:
- Mozzies can bite through tight clothing. Cover up, wear long, loose-fitting clothing
- Use mosquito repellents containing Picaridin or DEET
- Limit outdoor activity if lots of mosquitoes are about, particularly at dawn and dusk
- Remove stagnant water where mosquitoes can breed
- Make sure your home or accomodation is fitted with mosquito netting or screens.
- Don’t forget dependents, such as kids – always check the insect repellent label. On babies, you might need to spray or rub repellent on their clothes instead of their skin. Avoid applying repellent to the hands of babies or young children.
For more advice, please visit betterhealth.vic.gov.au/protect-yourself-mosquito-borne-disease
