{"id":133913,"date":"2016-02-05T15:00:42","date_gmt":"2016-02-05T05:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=133913"},"modified":"2020-10-23T12:45:31","modified_gmt":"2020-10-23T02:45:31","slug":"no-immediate-risk-zika","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2016\/02\/05\/no-immediate-risk-zika\/","title":{"rendered":"No Immediate Risk Of Zika"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Aedes aegypti ... spreads Dengue Fever and other diseases<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

February 5, 2016<\/strong><\/p>\n

South Burnett residents are not at risk of contracting the mosquito-borne Zika virus unless they have immediate plans to travel to countries where the disease is common.<\/p>\n

South Burnett Mayor Wayne Kratzmann said while the Aedes aegypti<\/em> mosquito, known to be able to transmit Zika, has been found in the region, there is currently no cause for alarm.<\/p>\n

“An Aedes aegypti<\/em> mosquito would have to feed on an infected person to transmit the disease,” Mayor Kratzmann said on Friday.<\/p>\n

“There is no immediate risk of that happening in the South Burnett.”<\/p>\n

The only cases of Zika virus detected in Australia so far have been in travellers who have returned from infected countries. <\/strong><\/p>\n

No cases have been identified in the South Burnett.<\/p>\n

Council\u2019s Manager of Environment and Waste Services Craig Patch said Council staff routinely carried out surveys and set traps for A. aegypti<\/em> mosquitoes throughout the region.<\/p>\n

“So if a South Burnett Regional Council Environmental Health Officer turns up on your property to inspect for or treat mosquitoes, there is no need to panic,” he said.<\/p>\n

“This work is part of our normal procedure during mosquito breeding season from around early January through to the end of April.<\/p>\n

“Council has been concerned for some time now with monitoring for and controlling the A. aegypti<\/em> mosquito, which is known to carry Dengue Fever, among other diseases.<\/p>\n

“This recent revelation about the Zika virus has now identified it as being one of those \u2018other diseases\u2019 which the A. aegypti<\/em> mosquito is able to transmit. This information is just another reason why this particular mosquito needs to be controlled.”<\/p>\n

Wondai and Murgon are known hot spots but Council Environmental Health Officers also inspect properties throughout the region and will treat breeding areas if A. aegypti<\/em> mosquitos are found.<\/p>\n

“The Council program has been very successful, and there are currently no known cases of diseases carried by the A. aegypti<\/em> in the region,” Mr Patch said.<\/p>\n

Inspections take place between 8:00am and 6:00pm on weekdays.<\/p>\n

More information about the inspection program can be obtained by contacting an SBRC Customer Service Centre on (07) 4189-9100.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Health Minister Cameron Dick<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Queensland Health Minister Cameron Dick convened a roundtable of public health and infectious disease experts this week to discuss zika.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cExpert advice is that Zika virus is not currently circulating in Queensland,\u201d Mr Dick said.\u00a0 \u201cWe want to keep it that way.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said the roundtable had agreed to two immediate measures to help boost Queensland\u2019s response.<\/p>\n

The State Government will spend $400,000 to increase the capacity of its laboratories \u2013 including one in Townsville \u2013 to rapidly test for Zika virus in humans.<\/p>\n

This will be the first time that testing for the Zika virus in humans will occur in Townsville.<\/p>\n

Queensland Health will also spend $1 million to develop a new campaign to educate people on the vital role they can play in reducing the spread of mosquitoes. The campaign would target both Dengue and Zika virus.<\/p>\n

Mr Dick said that he intended to contact Federal Health Minister Sussan Ley to brief her and to request federal support.<\/p>\n

He said local councils also had an important role to play.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cOfficers of the Federal Government have indicated that they are prepared to support Queensland\u2019s moves, but there are several areas where the Federal Government as well as local councils needs to be involved,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Mr Dick said experts from Queensland Health would also examine the measures already in place to help battle the spread of the mosquito species A. aegypti.<\/em><\/p>\n

Regular mosquito eradication campaigns are conducted, in conjunction with local councils, to control mosquito populations. These campaigns are generally conducted between January and March.<\/p>\n

Mr Dick said while minimising the potential influx of Zika into Australia was vital, the increased funding would also help expand efforts to combat Dengue and another less common disease, chikungunya.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery dollar we spend combatting Zika virus is also money well-spent on fighting Dengue,\u201d Mr Dick said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want Queenslanders to get to know the name Aedes aegypti<\/em>.\u00a0 That mosquito breed is enemy \u2013 and target \u2013 number one.\u201d<\/p>\n