Reflections on a highly unusual summer: bushfires, COVID-19 and mosquito-borne disease in NSW, Australia.
Public Health Res Pract
; 30(4)2020 Dec 09.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-969941
ABSTRACT
Mosquitoes and mosquito-borne disease are a normal part of the Australian summer but the 2019-2020 summer was anything but normal. Above average temperatures and below average rainfall resulted in drought across many parts of New South Wales (NSW), Australia, which then contributed to catastrophic bushfires. However, by late summer, above average rainfall resulted in a dramatic increase in mosquito abundance. While the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic unfolded, NSW experienced increased activity of mosquito-borne Ross River virus. All these extreme events created many challenges for managing the pest and the public health risks associated with mosquitoes, from maintenance of mosquito monitoring and control programs through to unique challenges of communicating mosquito bite prevention advice to local communities. There are important lessons to be learned in situations where extreme weather events may influence the risk of mosquito-borne disease through driving changes in the abundance and diversity of mosquito populations, while also influencing the abundance and distribution of native wildlife that represents important local reservoirs of arboviruses. Similarly, supporting the maintenance of mosquito monitoring and management programs while local authorities face competing priorities due to extreme natural disasters and/or public health events is critical.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Wildfires
/
Mosquito Vectors
/
Vector Borne Diseases
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Limits:
Animals
/
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
Oceania
Language:
English
Year:
2020
Document Type:
Article
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