Important health alerts for Gippsland – summer 2024-25

Here is a wrap-up of the latest important health alerts for Gippsland for the summer of 2024-25.

Check out what you need to know and how to stay healthy this summer.

MPOX (formerly known as Monkeypox)

Mpox continues to spread globally and has been transmitted locally in Victoria, with ongoing risks from international travel.

How does it spread?

Skin-to-skin contact

Respiratory droplets (eg, coughing, sneezing)

Contact with contaminated surfaces or object

Symptoms can include:

Rash

Fever, chills, muscle aches, and backache

Swollen lymph nodes

Sore throat and exhaustion

How to protect yourself:

Vaccination: A two-dose vaccine (at least 28 days apart) is available for eligible people at sexual health clinics, hospitals, and GPs.

Testing: If you have symptoms, get tested and seek medical care. Your privacy is protected.

To find out where to get tested and vaccinated in Gippsland, click here.

WHOOPING COUGH (Pertussis)

Whooping cough cases surged in Victoria in 2024, with more than 10 times the cases reported compared to 2023. Multiple outbreaks occurred in Gippsland primary schools.

What is whooping cough?

A highly contagious respiratory infection caused by a bacteria.

Symptoms include:

A severe cough (sometimes with a “whoop” sound when inhaling)

Symptoms like other respiratory infections

How to prevent it:

Vaccination:

Ensure infants and pregnant women are up to date

Babies should start their vaccinations at six weeks old

Pregnant women should be vaccinated between 20 and 32 weeks

Free vaccines: Available for eligible people under 20, refugees, humanitarian entrants, and at-risk individuals.

Reduce the spread: If you have respiratory symptoms, avoid contact with infants, as undiagnosed people can still spread the disease.

Treatment:

Antibiotics can help reduce severity.

COVID-19

COVID-19 remains the most common infectious disease in Victoria.

What’s new?

Five-to-10 per cent of people with COVID-19 develop long-term symptoms

A new variant (XEC) is being monitored and has contributed to rising cases in Australia

More waves of COVID-19 variants may emerge

How to protect yourself:

Vaccination:

Annual boosters are available for people aged between 18 and 74

People 65+ can get boosters every six months

If you’re sick: Stay home to avoid spreading the virus.

Other precautions: Wear a mask in high-risk settings, practice physical distancing, and improve ventilation by opening doors and windows.

Treatment:

Antiviral medications can help prevent severe illness in high-risk individuals.

MOSQUITO-BORNE DISEASES (Including Japanese Encephalitis – JEV)

Mosquito-borne disease risks remain high this summer.

What mosquito-borne diseases are most commonly seen in Victoria?

Japanese Encephalitis (JEV)

One confirmed case in Northern Victoria

More than 90 per cent of people infected with JEV have no symptoms. Less than 1 per cent develop a neurological illness

Murray Valley Encephalitis (MVE)

Ross River Virus and Barmah Forest Virus

How to protect yourself from mosquito bites:

Wear long, loose-fitting, light-coloured clothing

Use insect repellents with picaridin or DEET

Protect kids—apply repellent carefully (to clothes for babies) and avoid applying it on their hands

Stay indoors at dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are most active

Remove stagnant water where mosquitoes breed (eg, birdbaths, buckets)

Use mosquito screens on windows and doors

Sleep under a mosquito net if screens are unavailable

Avoid camping near wetlands

Use mosquito coils in small outdoor spaces