Six Melbourne people have been diagnosed with Ross River. "I thought it was a bad flu. The worst flu. The worst flu ever," he said. "There was joint pain associated with the fever that meant that it was almost too painful to stand up. This lasted 36 hours. The joint pain didn't go away. "I spoke to a doctor friend and she thought it sounded like a mosquito-borne virus. I went to my doctor, feeling better, and they were not too worried. They gave me paperwork for a blood test and told me not to worry unless I felt worse." But Mr Cornish did feel worse.

"Lethargy, weakness and joint pain so bad I could not bend one leg or have the strength to turn on a tap," he said. Blood tests confirmed he had Ross River virus. He's now concerned his young daughter has it too.

Recent heavy rainfall and warm weather across Victoria have made ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes, which pass the infection to humans with their bite. Symptoms include fever, headache, aching muscles, joints and fatigue. Some people will also develop a rash. While the virus is not considered fatal, in rare cases a person can experience symptoms for more than a year.

A spokesman for the department of health said it was rare for the virus to be detected in Melbourne. He did not have historical data, but said one mosquito in an outer Melbourne suburb tested positive for it in 2009. It was possible this insect had travelled in a car to the city the spokesman said. Health Minister Jill Hennessy urged Victorians to cover up with loose fitting cotton clothing, use repellents and remove any stagnant water from around their homes. "If anyone is feeling unwell we do want to urge them to contact their GP," Ms Hennessy said. "It's not necessarily a fatal illness but it is a really uncomfortable one to have." Over the past four months 18 local councils have been battling the spread in Victoria's north-west and north-east, using fobbing and larvacides.

In January, the Victorian government announced an expansion of mosquito surveillance and control activities to reduce the risks for people. Ten rural councils were given money for the first time to reduce mosquito breeding, and seven councils already attempting to control mosquito numbers were given more money to continue their work. However, a spokesman for the Department of Health said none of this funding went to Melbourne councils. He said this may be reviewed in future. Professor Guest said environmental conditions in the coming weeks will continue to fuel mosquito breeding. "Mosquitoes are at their most active at dawn and dusk, although some species can be present and bite throughout the day," he said.

Mosquito numbers can be reduced by getting rid of stagnant water around the home or campsites. "Mosquitoes will breed in any receptacle that can hold water, including old tyres, unused fish ponds, unsealed water tanks and pot plant holders," he said. Professor Guest said virus symptoms appear between two to 14 days after the mosquito bite and that there will be many people infected who won't experience any symptoms. People may experience chronic inflammation in the small joints of their hands and feet, he said. "It's usually a mild infection that can be prevented by avoiding the mosquito bite," Professor Guest said.

The virus is also found in a wide variety of animals, including horses. Information on protecting against mosquito bites is available on the Beat the Bite campaign page on the Better Health Channel at: https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/campaigns/beat-the-bite