Western Sydney Local Health District is urging people to take extra precautions to protect themselves against mosquitoes following a state-wide seven-fold increase in detections of the mosquito-borne Ross River fever, compared with this time last year.
Affected areas in western Sydney include the Hawkesbury.
‘‘Autumn is the peak time of the year for these insects to carry such infections so it’s also when there is the highest number of mosquito-borne viral infections,’’ said WSLHD public health medical officer Dr Shopna Bag.
‘‘There have been 539 notifications of Ross River virus infections across the state, compared with just 79 for the same period in 2014.’’
Infections can cause tiredness, rash, fever, and sore and swollen joints, and usually resolve after several days, but some people may experience these symptoms for weeks or even months.
■ Click here to view a fact sheet.