Waikato person found with Ross River virus

A Waikato person has a rare virus endemic in Australia.

The Ross River virus case was notified to the region's public health unit after the person was diagnosed early this month.
The unit would not identify the person for privacy reasons.

Unit physician Anita Bell said the person had been thoroughly questioned about their recent movements, and officials were satisfied the virus was contracted in Australia.

The person was recovering, but symptoms could continue for some months.

The virus is endemic in Australia, and has been reported in Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and some Pacific Islands.

The latest Environmental Science and Research figures show there was one case in New Zealand in 2003, with 11 since the first New Zealand diagnosis in 1980.

The most cases were reported in 2001 when three people were diagnosed in New Zealand.

All reported New Zealand cases caught the virus overseas, but the high number of Australian visitors meant some cases would go unreported, Dr Bell said.

The southern saltmarsh mosquito, which carries the virus, was discovered in New Zealand in 1998.

The Government has approved $40 million over the next 10 years to eradicate it.

- NZPA