Riverside communities in Victoria's north are bracing for an uptick in mosquito-borne viruses, skin infections and gastro as part of the fallout of dirty floodwater that has inundated municipalities along the Murray River system.
Health practitioners are warning residents and visitors at some of Victoria's popular riverside tourism locations to protect themselves against diseases such as Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV).
Physician Kate Van Berkel from the Loddon Mallee Public Health Unit said interacting with floodwater was particularly dangerous to people with wounds or cuts.
"It's important to cover up when you are conducting clean-up kind of activities near floodwater on your property," she said.
"And similarly, because the water is often contaminated, if you're drinking, or otherwise ingesting that water, it can make you sick with gastro and give you diarrhoea, vomiting, things like that.
"We're recommending people stay away from floodwaters, and if they're interacting with floodwaters to wear protective clothing and to make sure that they wash their hands really thoroughly with good, old-fashioned soap and water afterwards."
Dr Van Berkel said that floodwaters can impact on personal health in a range of ways, both directly and indirectly.
"Floodwater is dangerous and can cause injuries," she said.
"All that water makes an excellent breeding ground for mosquitoes in our region, which can carry viruses to humans.
"Floods affect health by impacting usual healthcare services, by damaging local infrastructure that people use to keep themselves well.
"And for lots of people [the] impact is on housing and livelihoods, which of course affects mental health."
Best thing is to stay away
JEV is only one of the many viruses that mosquitoes can carry.
"Thankfully we haven't had many cases [of JEV] this year but the best thing to do is avoid getting bitten as much as possible," Dr Van Berkel said.
"I recommend that everyone wear long, loose-fitting clothing; use insect repellents; get rid of any stagnant water around the house. And if you can, also limit the time spent outside when lots of mozzies are around."
In times of flooding, there is a multitude of contaminates that can make floodwaters dangerous, including agricultural waste and chemical waste. Human waste can also enter the water if it has come into contact with sewerage systems.
An increase in snake and spider numbers was also expected, as rising floodwaters have pushed creatures out of their natural bushland habitat.
