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\u201cOver the past four years the Anglesea River has become a major breeding site for mosquito larvae. We\u2019re working with the Department of Health to try and understand why this might be,\u201d Surf Coast Shire\u2019s general manager Community Life, Chris Pike said.<\/p>\n
Other hotspots listed by the shire include Breamlea and Connewarre wetlands; Deep Creek and Spring Creek in Torquay; Anglesea including Fairyland and Coogoorah Park Nature Reserve; and isolated areas in Aireys Inlet.<\/p>\n
The City of Greater Geelong council said it\u2019s unaware of any hotspots as it does not collect that data.<\/p>\n
The last RRV detection in mosquitoes in Anglesea was in January 2021, according to the Surf Coast Shire\u2019s Mr Pike, identified via a trapping and testing program that is similarly conducted across the City of Greater Geelong between December and May.<\/p>\n
Samples of adult mosquitos trapped throughout the region between November and May, mainly from confirmed and reported breeding sites, are for genetic material testing related to RRV and other mosquito-borne pathogens. When the virus is detected the Department of Health is notified and the Chief Health Officer issues a Health Alert.<\/p>\n
No mosquitoes have been found with the viruses in the Surf Coast or Greater Geelong government areas this year.<\/p>\n
Symptoms of RRV and Barmah Forest virus disease are similar, each can cause joint swelling and pain, fatigue, a rash, fever and muscle aches which can persist for many months and recur in some individuals for over a year.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is no cure for RRV, but we can treat the symptoms … while it is possible to be re-infected with RRV, people are likely to be protected for some years afterwards,\u201d according to Barwon Health\u2019s Eugene Athan.<\/p>\n
Health authorities state that it takes three to nine days for symptoms of RRV disease to occur after exposure, and occasionally up to 21 days.<\/p>\n
Barmah Forest virus disease symptoms occur between seven to ten days after a bite from an infected mosquito.<\/p>\n
Both the City of Greater Geelong and Surf Coast Shire Council engage in mosquito control programs to limit the spread of the viruses in the region, in particular treating larvae before they emerge as adults and lay eggs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THERE was a record number of confirmed Ross River Virus (RRV) cases in the Greater Geelong and Surf Coast regions in 2021, and while numbers this year are low, authorities are expecting a large rise in the next month. A total of 119 cases were recorded in Greater Geelong last year, compared with 16 in […]<\/p>\n