The Lake Cathie resident has been diagnosed with Ross River Fever, a mosquito-borne infection she will now battle in degrees of pain for the rest of her life.

Mel lives opposite the lake, a waterway that has been the subject of long and frustrating debate for residents who have been calling to have the now stagnant pool of water drained to the sea.

Calls for Port Macquarie-Hastings Council to step in and artificially open the lake due to low-lying flooding and property inundation, have been buffered by the potential risk factors and requirement for optimal conditions, until this week.

Council, at its May 6 meeting, fully supported a conditional lake opening plan.

The plan is dependent on a significant rain event of 10mm or more, or approval by Crown Lands for a one-off short term licence to artificially open the waterway - whichever comes first. These conditions are based on the water level as of May 6 which sat at 1.573m.

The plan supports, but does not override, the conditions that will also remain in place in Port Macquarie-Hastings Council's Lake Opening Strategy. If the water height trigger point for a lake opening reaches 1.6m, council will consider, as it it has this week, if the risk factors are low, there are favourable tides and more forecast rain.

But it's too little, too late for Mel, who is now living with debilitating and chronic pain. The Mid North Coast has been declared a mozzie disease hotspot.

The North Coast Public Health Unit is urging residents to protect themselves against mosquitoes after cases of Ross River and Barmah Forest virus infections in the region double those recorded for the same period last year.

Read more: Region on alert as mosquito-borne infections double

"I went and played basketball with my husband and kids and the next day it felt like I had sprained my ankle and knee. I thought to myself, gosh I must be getting old," Mel said.

By the following Friday, she broke out in a rash, woke up and couldn't walk or move. Her joints were severely swollen so much she couldn't even make a fist with her hand.

The glands in her neck and groin became swollen.

"It freaked me out," Mel said.

She asked to be tested for Ross River Fever. A week later it was confirmed.

"Now it is just managing the pain now which varies," Mel said.

"It can be in my left ankle, right knee and elbow and all the joints in my fingers and toes. Sometimes my hands swell up so much it is even difficult to open doors in the house.

"I've just got to try and exercise every day - it has had a significant impact on my life."

Read more: Mozzie 'tornado' swarm prompts call for action at Lake Cathie

Mel provides support for people with disabilities and is fortunate she has a flexible workplace. She has three children.

She is now being tested to ensure her body is developing antibodies against the disease.

Mel said the mosquitoes around the lake are big and aggressive and have been made worse by the still water inundating properties.

"All of the drains three houses down from ours are full and there's water spilling over on to the road.," she said.

"What's the point of having all of this infrastructure here - footpaths and fishing platforms - if no-one can use it?"

Steps to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes include:

More information about mosquito-borne infections is available on the NSW Health website.

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