Campaspe Shire Council is reassuring the community that its mosquito monitoring program is continuing right across the shire, treating breeding sites and trapping insects.
The council’s acting community director Andrew Fletcher said the program, jointly funded by the state government and council, usually operated across the summer season, from about November to March, however it did not stop in 2022 due to the presence of the Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV).
“While JEV was reported earlier in the year, the trapping program has not detected mosquitoes carrying the virus at the moment,” Mr Fletcher said.
“Generally more prevalent in this region are the Ross River virus and Barmah Forest virus. Both viruses have also not been detected in trapped mosquitoes at the moment.
“Due to recent ongoing rain and wind, the treatment of breeding sites has been restricted from time to time, however the trapping continues.”
The community also has an important role to play in keeping mosquito numbers down.
“There’s a couple of protective measures we can all take — wearing long sleeves, using a repellent that contains DEET (diethyltoluamide) or picaridin, and trying to avoid being out during dusk and dawn,” Mr Fletcher said.
“While it may be difficult to reduce any water laying around our houses at the moment, as soon as water recedes, residents are encouraged to remove any stagnant water that may be sitting in depressions or even in plant pots.
“You should also check your fly screens and use mosquito netting where necessary.”
For more information on mosquito protection, go to www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au and search ‘Beat the Bite’. The website also has lots of useful information about how to proof your home and protect yourself on holidays.
Council’s immunisation program is offering the JEV vaccination. Sessions have recently resumed, with information about session times and dates on the council’s website, as well as the criteria applicable for accessing the vaccine.
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