Milestone reached with end to aerial mozzie treatments
MAF Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ) says good progress is being made towards the elimination of the southern saltmarsh mosquito in Coromandel with the end this week of aerial treatments.
Helicopter application of treatment granules started over two years ago in the area and operations have been occurring approximately every three weeks in a number of Coromandel sites.
A total area of between 130 to 160 hectares has been treated with S-methoprene granules. S-methoprene is an insect growth regulator designed to stop the mosquito pupae hatching into adults.
The campaign to eliminate this mosquito from the Coromandel has built on previous work undertaken by the Ministry of Health. Southern saltmarsh mosquito is known to carry Ross River virus in Australia. The virus produces debilitating flu-like symptoms in humans. Furthermore, this particular mosquito is well known in Australia for its vicious day time biting habit.
With no adult mosquitoes trapped in Coromandel since November 2006, and the last larval find in April 2007, MAFBNZ has decided, based on advice from its Technical Advisory Group, to conclude the aerial treatments.
Ongoing ground-based weekly surveillance, through adult trapping and larval dipping activities will continue until at least April 2009 when MAFBNZ will decide if these actions can also be brought to a close.
Southern saltmarsh mosquito Operations Manager Don Hammond says there is quiet confidence that come April/May 2009 MAFBNZ will be in a position to announce the southern saltmarsh mosquito has been eliminated from the Coromandel.
“This will leave the Wairau basin near Blenheim as New Zealand’s one remaining site where ongoing activity against this mosquito continues. In that regard, excellent progress toward elimination is being achieved.”
Nationwide eradication activity has been underway since the mosquito was first discovered in Napier in 1998. Localised elimination of the mosquito in Kaipara and in Grassmere (Marlborough) was declared on 31 August 2008. These areas are now part of a national surveillance programme run by the Ministry of Health.
For further information, please contact:
Lesley Patston, Senior Communications Advisor
Ph 04 8940163 or 029 8940163
Email: Lesley.patston@maf.govt.nz
