New mozzie traps set weekly

MOSQUITO traps are being set across the Loddon Shire weekly with Murray valley encephalitis detected early this month.

Senior public health officer Teresa Arnup told councillors on Tuesday that council had traps at Pyramid Hill, Serpentine, Bridgewater, Wedderburn and two locations in Boort.

“Immediately following the October flood events the number of mosquitoes across the region exploded and this was reflected in traps that were collected in early November, whilst the number of mosquitoes was extreme at this time the type of mosquito being trapped were classified as nuisance breeds,” she said.

“As the season continues the number of mosquitoes has dropped but the breed of mosquito has changed to breeds that spread arbovirus.

“As part of this program council’s public health staff are setting traps in six locations across the municipality on a weekly basis.” Ms Arnup said Murray valley encephalitis had been detected at Boort in January and February while earlier virus detections had been at Pyramid Hill, Serpentine and Wedderburn.

“Along with the weekly trapping program, council is undertaking treatment of public locations in townships,” she said. “The treatment methods being undertaken include barrier treatments, adulticiding and larviciding. Currently these works are prioritising Boort and Pyramid Hill based on the finding of the trapping program.

Victoria’s Health Department on Monday said a survey of more than 800 people in northern Victoria has found the Japanese encephalitis virus had infected more people than first thought, as the vaccination eligibility criteria against the virus has been expanded beyond Loddon to include Buloke and Bendigo.