Residents in the Barkly and Alice Springs regions are being urged to take precautions to protect themselves against mosquitoes, with numbers expected to increase following extensive rainfall across the region.  

Director of Medical Entomology, Nina Kurucz explained that the heavy rainfall across Central Australia has created favourable environmental conditions that might trigger an early start to the Murray Valley encephalitis (MVE) season.  

The Department of Health’s virus surveillance program has not yet indicated MVE virus activity in the Northern Territory. However, water birds are the host of the MVE virus, meaning these birds harbour the MVE virus and provide a ‘home’ for the virus to multiply within.

With the extensive rain associated with monsoonal activity in the north-west in late December, some of these birds are likely to migrate to Central Australia, bringing the virus with them.

The MVE virus is transmitted by both the floodwater mosquito, Aedes normanensis which will start to appear in high numbers first about 10 days after flooding rains, and the common banded mosquito, Culex annulirostris increasing in numbers shortly after.

Both species are active after sunset, and can occur in pest numbers within a few kilometres of their breeding sites. They breed in grassy depressions filled with water, seasonal lagoons and wetlands.  Both species are also able to transmit Ross River virus.

Ms Kurucz said “To avoid mosquito borne disease, use personal mosquito protection and avoid being outdoors in or close to wetland areas or places where mosquitoes are active, especially after sunset.”

Murray Valley encephalitis is a rare disease, but can potentially be fatal.

The symptoms can include severe headache, high fever, drowsiness, tremor and seizures (especially in young children). In some cases the disease can progress to delirium, coma, permanent brain damage or death.

The last MVE case in Central Australia was recorded in February 2015 in the Barkly region.

To minimize the chance of being bitten by mosquitoes, people should:

• use a protective repellent containing 20 per cent DEET or Picaridin as a supplement to protective clothing when outdoors in mosquito prone areas
• wear light-coloured clothing with long sleeves, long trousers and socks, between dusk and dawn in areas where mosquito bites are likely
• avoid outdoor exposure around dusk and at night near areas of dense vegetation and other areas of high mosquito activity
• use mosquito-proof accommodation and camping facilities at night
• use mosquito coils, mosquito lanterns and barrier sprays containing bifenthrin in patio and outdoor areas near houses
• ensure children are adequately protected against mosquitoes.

Media Contact: Dimitra Grehl 0427 596 954