Authorities need to be better prepared to respond to the introduction of exotic mosquitoes to NSW such as Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. This presentation provides a summary of the capacity building exercise, including workshops, field exercises and community surveys to better understand how local authorities are prepared to respond to these exotic mosquito threats. The presentation was made to the 13th Mosquito Control Association of Australia at Kingscliff, 2-5 September 2018.

1. Cameron E. Webb1,2
*, Kelly Piazza3
, David McNicoll3
, Mark
Longbottom3
, Tracy Schultz4
and Angela Dean4
1 Medical Entomology, NSW Health Pathology, Westmead Hospital, Westmead,
Australia; 2 Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, The
University of Sydney, Australia; 3 Tweed Shire Council, Murwillumbah, NSW,
Australia; 4 ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions (CEED),
University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
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Tackling mosquitoes together:
Preparing to respond to the threat of
exotic mosquitoes in northern NSW

2. Tackling mosquitoes together – Background
 Tweed Shire Council received
funding from Office Environment
and Heritage (OEH) ‘Building
Resilience to Climate Change
(BRCC) Grant’ in 2017
 Additional grant from OEH
Adaptation Research Hub
 How best can authorities respond
to exotic mosquito incursions? From
mosquito sampling to community
attitude surveying
 Exotic mosquito training workshop
in November 2017

3. Tackling mosquitoes together – Field exercise
 Two day exercise in Pottsville and
Tweed Heads West December 2017
 11 local stakeholders represented and
approx. 300 properties surveyed
~4,000 containers; ~12% w/ larvae;
suburb differences but bromeliads, pot
plants saucers, & buckets key items
 83% participant stakeholders reported
increased awareness; 94% participants
acknowledge more work needed
 No “short cuts” to identifying high risk
properties; community assistance critical
in future

4. Tackling mosquitoes together – Community survey
 ~90 residents surveyed “face-to-face”
 >90% aware of mosquito-borne disease
(inc RRV and DENV) but only ~30%
considered it a problem in Northern NSW
 >90% used personal protection measures
to reduce mosquito bites; less than 50%
aware of “breeding sites” around backyard
 ~100% supported property surveys; 83%
supported insecticide use to control exotic
mosquitoes; 92% if public health risk
 Local newspapers source information
 “Pre-survey” communication critical!

5. Tackling mosquitoes together – Online survey
 >700 respondents across stakeholder regions (7) in northern NSW
(~40% from Tweed Shire Council); 18 questions
 60% already “knew what to do” to stop mosquitoes in backyard but
16% “didn’t know what to do” and 20% unlikely to “check backyard
for mosquitoes”; barriers to behaviour change – time, effort, water!
 73% supported property surveys but 6% “not at all willing” to allow
access and surveys
 53% supported backyard insecticide use but 14% “not at all willing”
to allow mosquito control
 Differences across region; less support for mosquito control outside
Tweed Shire
 Public health messages linking “family health” to “mosquito
management” reminders strengthen engagement

6.  Northern NSW at risk; international and interstate
pathways of exotic introduction
 Lack of surveillance system for non-port entry
exotic mosquitoes; incorporate complementary
program into current NSW Arbovirus & Mosquito
Surveillance
Minimal operational capacity to respond to
detection among local stakeholders; reliance on
QLD authorities?
 Uncertainties regarding legislation associated with
backyard mosquito surveillance and control
 Community engagement will be critical in
response but divergent attitudes may be
problematic; foundations of community
engagement required; citizen science?
Tackling mosquitoes together – The challenges

7.  Establish multi-agency ‘Northern Rivers Exotic
Mosquito Advisory Group’ (inc. response expert
advisory panel)
 Formalise arrangements among local
stakeholders regarding response capacity (inc.
training, equipment, surveillance, control, and
coordination)
 Develop regionally specific community education
and engagement program
 inc. citizen science strategies (e.g. Zika
Mozzie Seeker; Mozzie Monitors)
 ‘Tackling Mosquitoes Together’ will form the
framework for broader strategic response planning
across NSW
Tackling mosquitoes together – The strategy!

8. Thank you!
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Visit my website: http://beatthebites.com
Email: Cameron.Webb@health.nsw.gov.au
Follow me on Twitter: @mozziebites
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