Australians warned of increased mosquito-borne diseases threat
Australian scientists have warned of an increased risk of mosquito-borne diseases amid forecast wet conditions during the upcoming spring and summer.
The Bureau of Meteorology earlier in September declared a rare third consecutive La Nina weather event, meaning the country is likely to face a summer of heavy rainfall and high humidity.
It came as Australia's northeast recovers from floods that devastated the region between February and April.
Paul de Barro, a research scientist from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, said the floods had created perfect breeding conditions for mosquitoes.
"Anywhere you've got shallow [pooling] water, it's an ideal habitat for mosquitoes such as Culex annulirostris," De Barro was quoted as saying by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation on Thursday. "Even though you might not have flooding directly in your area, it can fly tens of kilometers, so it can move inland quite some distance as it's assisted by wind."
Also known as the common banded mosquito, the Culex annulirostris is native to the Pacific and is a carrier of arboviruses, including Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV).
JEV is a potentially fatal infection of the brain that can cause inflammation, headaches, fevers and seizures.
Earlier in 2022, the federal government declared JEV a "communicable disease incident of national significance" amid an outbreak in the country's southeast.
According to the Health Department of the Australian government, there were 40 human cases of JEV nationwide as of early September and six deaths.
The Bureau of Meteorology earlier in September declared a rare third consecutive La Nina weather event, meaning the country is likely to face a summer of heavy rainfall and high humidity.
It came as Australia's northeast recovers from floods that devastated the region between February and April.
Paul de Barro, a research scientist from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, said the floods had created perfect breeding conditions for mosquitoes.
"Anywhere you've got shallow [pooling] water, it's an ideal habitat for mosquitoes such as Culex annulirostris," De Barro was quoted as saying by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation on Thursday. "Even though you might not have flooding directly in your area, it can fly tens of kilometers, so it can move inland quite some distance as it's assisted by wind."
Also known as the common banded mosquito, the Culex annulirostris is native to the Pacific and is a carrier of arboviruses, including Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV).
JEV is a potentially fatal infection of the brain that can cause inflammation, headaches, fevers and seizures.
Earlier in 2022, the federal government declared JEV a "communicable disease incident of national significance" amid an outbreak in the country's southeast.
According to the Health Department of the Australian government, there were 40 human cases of JEV nationwide as of early September and six deaths.
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