The Department of Health and Community Services (DHCS) Centre for Disease Control Dr Vicki Krause today officially announced the successful eradication of the dengue mosquito on Groote Eylandt.
The dengue mosquito was found on Groote Eylandt first in October 2006 from an egg trap collected by a routine mosquito surveillance program.
A subsequent DHCS eradication program led by Medical Entomology (ME) and Groote Eylandt Mining Company (GEMCO) reduced the number of infested properties in Alyangula from 50 properties infested (11.7%) in December 2006 to no properties (0.0%) by September 2007.
Dr Vicki Krause says eradication of all dengue mosquitoes required a very meticulous process.
"The dengue mosquito can carry the virus that causes the debilitating and sometimes fatal dengue disease.
"It required five rounds of inspection and treatment of every potential receptacle on every commercial and residential property in Alyangula and other communities on Groote. Three following inspection and treatment rounds in Alyangula over the wet season between September 2007 and March 2008 confirmed the eradication of the dengue mosquito.
"Inspections in Angurugu and other communities on Groote Eylandt and other nearby island and mainland communities indicated that the infestation had not spread," says Dr Krause.
Director of Medical Entomology and project director Peter Whelan says he is particularly proud of the teams' efforts in achieving these results under the supervision of Myron Kulbac and Darren Bowbridge.
"It couldn't have been achieved without funding assistance from the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aging, the very appreciable assistance from the GEMCO mining company, the team at Medical Entomology, the leadership, support and infrastructure of DHCS and, in particular the people of Groote Eylandt.
Exotic mosquitoes have become a greater threat to the NT in recent years with dengue and dengue haemorrhagic fever increasing dramatically in nearby Southeast Asian countries and dengue disease outbreaks in Queensland - caused by the dengue mosquito Aedes aegypti.
DHCS Medical Entomology continues to perform surveys around the coast and between Queensland and the major NT towns to keep the Territory dengue vector free.
Media Contact: Lorraine Hook 0401 116 203
Release date: 9 May 2008
