BALLARAT beach-goers are urged to take extra pre-cautions if heading to Geelong and the Surf Coast this holiday season.
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Ross River virus cases are more than seven times higher this year in Geelong and the Bellarine Peninsula, a popular summer destination for Ballarat residents, with 117 reported cases.
Fever cases have also risen on the Surf Coast with 107 recorded this year, topping 93 cases in 2017 and with only 22 combined cases in the three years in between.
- READ MORE: Beach this weekend? High alert for fever and flesh-eating bug (2020)
Forecasts for a wet summer ahead, conducive to mosquito breeding, have health experts calling for people to be more alert in preventing mosquito bites.
The mosquito-borne disease can inflict ongoing joint pain and stiffness, headache, fever, rash flu-like symptoms and fatigue.
Most people recover within three to six months but some symptoms can linger for more than a year, according to Victoria's health department.
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The only way to prevent Ross River fever is protection against mosquito bites.
This can include:
- Wear long, loose-fitting, light coloured clothing and use insect repellents that contain DEET or Picaridin applied regularly, according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- Avoid mosquito-prone areas, especially at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are more active and likely to bite.
- Ensure fly screens properly fitted to windows and external doors.
- Reduce the potential mosquito breeding about your home by ensuring no stagnant water is present. Containers holding water should be emptied and washed regularly.
For advice for symptoms, contact your general practitioner or the 24-hour Nurse On Call service: 1300 60 60 2.
There have been 12 cases of Ross River virus in Ballarat this year.
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