North Queenslanders hoping to use the Easter holidays and coming weeks to go bush to fish, camp or hunt are urged to be vigilant against mosquito-borne illnesses.
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Following the crossing of Severe Tropical Cyclone Debbie and recent rains in other areas of the North, bush mosquito populations may be larger than usual.
Public health units across North Queensland have collaborated to launch a new poster reminding holiday makers of the risks posed by mosquitoes.
Bush mosquitoes are capable of transmitting a suite of diseases including Ross River and Barmah Forest virus, Kunjin and the more serious Murray Valley Encephalitis.
Townsville and Mount Isa Public Health Physician Dr Steven Donohue said these illnesses could cause debilitating arthritis.
In some cases, people could take months to recover.
Dr Donohue said the warmer and wetter climate in North Queensland was highly favourable for mosquito-breeding sites such as lakes, swamps, rivers, puddles, salt marshes, even rubbish or containers holding rainwater.
“The advice is simple, if people are going bush, make sure you protect yourself and your families from mosquito bites,” he said.
“Use a strong insect repellent like DEET or Picaridin, ensure your tent has a mozzie screen or a net, wear loose-fitting full length clothing and use mosquito coils.
“None of the mosquito-borne diseases we see in North Queensland are much fun once you get them so, as always, prevention is best.”
Dr Donohue said across the Cairns, Mackay and Townsville Public Health Unit areas (which cover all of North Queensland), there had been 23 cases of Barmah Forest virus and 122 cases of Ross River virus so far this year.
While there had been no cases of Murray Valley Encephalitis, Dr Donohue said this was a potentially fatal illness.
“While Murray Valley encephalitis (MVE) is extremely rare, the illness is severe and given the high numbers of bush mosquitoes we are seeing across the region I’d urge everyone to take sensible precautions to avoid mosquito bites,” he said.
“Initial symptoms of MVE include fever, drowsiness, headache, stiff neck, nausea and dizziness and people experiencing these symptoms should seek medical advice quickly.
“In severe cases, people may experience fits, lapse into a coma, may be left with permanent brain damage or die.”
Dr Donohue said public health units across North Queensland traditionally saw a spike in mosquito-borne cases in the weeks following the Easter holidays.