Mosquitoes on the increase

At present there is an increase in the number of adult mosquitoes on the island.
The type of mosquito that is of concern to the general public right now is the night biting type (culex species) which breeds in puddles/ponds, open drains, swampy areas or open septic tanks. They don’t transmit disease but is a nuisance at night
The rainy weather for the last couple of weeks has also contributed to this problem.
However, in March to mid April, 2010 the Ministry of Health has release information on the mosquito larval survey conducted here on Rarotonga.
It has also been identified that most breeding places found are plastic containers, tyres, empty cans and motor parts, a positive breeding places for the day biting mosquitoes (aedes species). These are the mosquitoes that transmit disease including dengue fever .The general public has also been advised to clean up these areas or call the Public Health Department, Phone 29 110, so that the team will come around and apply vecto bac/diesel oil to these areas to kill the larval stage of the mosquitoes before it emerges into adult mosquitoes.
Our team is out on the field conducting risk assessment reports and also conducting a larvicide program to reduce the number of mosquito larvae becoming adults.
Therefore, at this stage spraying of properties will be finalized once the risk assessment report is completed and analyzed. This will place the Ministry in a better position to spray or not to spray properties in due course.
Meitaki maata
- Public Health Media Release

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