Ross River Virus in Australia (Update)
16 Mar 2015
The Australian Government Department of Health received 1073 notifications of Ross River virus (RRV) infection between 7-20 February 2015. This compares with 226 notifications during the same time period in 2014. During the previous three months, 2858 notifications were recorded. The majority of notifications (74%) during the current fortnightly report came from Queensland.
Seasonal increases in notifications for RRV are expected during the warmer months and nationally peak between January and April, depending on geographical region.
Advice for Travellers
Travellers should be made aware of the risk of Ross River virus infection in Australia, particularly if visiting during the summer months in Australia. Travellers should take steps to avoid mosquito bites.