Dear Ed,

As one of the 302 north coast residents to have been diagnosed with Ross River virus (RRV) this year, I would like to correct Greg Bell, the Assistant Director North Coast Public Health Unit (CVI 4/6/20).

As with many others, I think Mr Bell is just repeating Wikipedia information. According to my first-hand information, and that of many other sufferers I know personally, plus thousands more on the RRV online groups, RRV does NOT “resolve after several days” … and usually not even “weeks” or “months.”

Once you get this debilitating disease, it looks to be with you for years and years…perhaps never actually leaving the system.

A vaccine has been developed and now urgently needs to be produced and rolled-out. Whilst Covid-19 is understandably a current priority, RRV needs to be brought under control before so many more are affected.

It’s ‘only’ been nine weeks of suffering for me so far (and I’m not experiencing symptoms near as bad as many others) I’m over this pain!

Please treat it as serious as it is Mr Bell.

Jacqui Roberts, Palmers Island