Mosquitos

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Australia has more than 275 species of mosquitoes, some of which carry mosquito-borne diseases. Avoiding mosquito bites is the most important way to prevent mosquito-borne diseases. Throughout Australia, serious diseases transmitted by mosquitos to humans include;

- Japanese Encephalitis Virus

- Ross River Virus

- Murray Valley Encephalitis 

- Barmah Forest Virus 

- West Nile/Kunjin Virus 

- Dengue Virus 

For more information, please refer to the Better Health Channel. 

All mosquito-borne diseases are notifiable to the Department of Health. 

Mosquito bite prevention 

You can prevent mosquito bites by:

  • Wear long, loose-fitting clothes if mosquitoes are around.
  • Cover up as much as possible.
  • Use an effective mosquito repellent, containing either picaridin or diethyltoluamide (DEET) on all exposed skin.
  • Use plug-in mosquito vaporisers or diffusers with repellent-treatment pads in enclosed external areas like verandahs and decks. These should be switched off as soon as the area is no longer in use.
  • Prevent mosquito breeding around your own home.
  • Maintain fly screens on windows, doors, vents and chimneys. (Screens should be no coarser than 12 x 12 meshes per 25mm, or 1.2mm. Use an even coarser mesh if you wish to keep out other smaller biting insects, like sandflies.)
  • Use mosquito coils in outdoor areas. These should be supervised at all times.

Controlling mosquito activity around your home 

You can reduce the risk of mosquito bites by preventing mosquitoes from breeding around your home by following these tips:

  • Clean up your yard and remove anything that can hold water, such as unused pots and containers or tyres.
  • Cover or overturn trailers, wheelbarrows, boats, tools and children’s toys to avoid water pooling.
  • Regularly clean gutters and drains so water runs freely.
  • Mend leaking taps.
  • Change water held in pet drinking bowls, bird baths and vases at least once a week, and more regularly in very warm weather.
  • Put sand around the base of pot plants to absorb pooling water.
  • Keep swimming pools well maintained and chlorinated or securely covered if not in use. Do not let water pool in empty swimming pools.
  • Keep fish ponds tidy with minimal vegetation around the edges.
  • Keep lawns and gardens trimmed back to reduce the areas where mosquitoes rest.

 

 

 

 

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