Mosquito surveillance enhanced at Port of Tauranga

8 MARCH 2006

Mosquito surveillance enhanced at Port of Tauranga

The discovery of a potentially disease-carrying mosquito (Asian Tiger mosquito) at the Port of Auckland has prompted Toi Te Ora – Public Health to escalate surveillance at the Port of Tauranga.

“No disease-carrying mosquitos including the Asian Tiger mosquito have been found in the Bay of Plenty but we are taking precautionary measures by setting more traps,” says Supervising Health Protection Officer Vijay Patel. “People can contact Health Protection Officers at Toi Te Ora – Public Health, 510 Cameron Road in Tauranga or contact 571 8975 if they find unusual mosquitos or experience aggressive biting.”

Warmer weather often brings more mosquitos to the region with peak times being several days after rain has fallen when the eggs hatch and then develop into adult mosquitoes. People can help keep mosquito numbers down by looking in their backyards.

“Mosquitoes breed in the water in all sorts of containers found around the home, a lot of these items are serving no useful purpose in our backyards, and if we each take a little time to remove these containers we can dramatically reduce mosquito numbers,” says Vijay Patel.

The following simple steps will send mosquitoes the message to 'buzz off':

- Get rid of all old tins, bottles, or old tyres (put holes in the tyre swing)
- Overturn anything stored outside that holds water eg small boats and buckets
- Empty and clean pot plant saucers, pet drinking bowls and birdbaths regularly (at least every four days is ideal at this time of year). A good option is to put sand around the bases of pot plants to absorb the water in the dish.

- Keep swimming pools well treated and change water in paddling pools
- Fill or drain hollows in the ground that hold water
- Cover vent pipes on septic tanks with mosquito-proof mesh - no bigger than 1mm diameter mesh
- Ensure rainwater tanks are sealed and covered
- Check rainwater in the gutter can drain correctly and down-pipes are not blocked with leaves
- Ensure ponds contain fish which eat mosquito larvae, eg goldfish

ENDS

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