The Department of Health has rejected a plea from a group of Swan River councils for more help to combat the scourge of mosquitos this breeding season, despite concerns it’s the worst mozzie season they’ve ever seen.
The cities of Bayswater, Swan, Bassendean and Belmont released a statement Tuesday urging the Department of Health – which coordinates the state’s response to mosquitos – to step up in their fight against the insects.
Mosquito treatment of wetlands along the Swan River.
High tides and hotter temperatures are supercharging mosquito breeding across the Swan River this summer – even as councils step up their application of larvicide at breeding sites.
Bayswater Mayor Filomena Piffaretti, spokesperson for the group of councils, said they were hampered by inadequate funding and red tape when they want to launch their larvicide-spreading drones.
“This is an important issue facing residents across a number of local government areas and we believe it is time for the WA Department of Health to step up and take responsibility, especially given several sites are on State Government land,” she said.
“We are working alongside our neighbouring local governments and have all committed extra resources to tackle this issue, but our resources are stretched and, in many cases, inadequate to face an issue of this magnitude.
Mosquito treatment of wetlands along the Swan River.
“The WA Department of Health needs to raise public awareness of this widespread issue, its causes and how the community can protect themselves.”
Piffaretti said the potential for mosquito-borne disease could not be understated and was a significant risk to public health.
But a Department of Health spokesman rejected the city’s assertion that there was a greater public health risk and said 20 cases of Ross River Virus had been reported since the start of the year which was tracking lower than the long-term average.
“Despite the high mosquito numbers in suburbs along the East Swan River, the risk of mosquito-borne diseases remains low in metropolitan Perth,” he said.
The spokesman said measures were in place to manage mosquito populations including frequent larvicide applications.
He said the departments Contiguous Local Authorities Group funding program funds 50 per cent of mosquito management costs for the Swan River councils.
Premier Roger Cook said he had been a victim of Ross River Virus.
“It’s not a pleasant experience, I can tell you, so making sure that our public waterways are appropriately attended to is part is something which the Department of Health takes very, very seriously and local government authorities have a role to play in that as well,” he said.
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