Published on Thursday, 22 October 2026 at 2:15:30 PM
The City of Nedlands Environmental Health team has recently participated in a new mosquito virus surveillance initiative being made available to WESROC CLAG (Western Suburbs Regional Organisation of Councils Contiguous Local Authorities Group) through the WA Department of Health.
The initiative builds on the City’s existing mosquito surveillance program, which involves routine mosquito trapping at selected locations to monitor mosquito species and population levels across the City.
As part of this initiative, collected mosquito samples can also be tested for the presence of mosquito-borne viruses, including Ross River virus. The process involves preserving mosquito samples in a specialised virus transport medium before they are sent to a laboratory for analysis.
By identifying virus activity in local mosquito populations before human cases are reported, the initiative has the potential to provide an early warning system for mosquito-borne disease activity within the community.
The information gathered through the testing will help the City better understand where virus activity may be occurring and support more targeted mosquito monitoring, management, treatment and community education efforts where required.
The initiative also highlights the strong collaboration between the City of Nedlands, neighbouring local governments and the WA Department of Health in protecting public health across the region.
The City continues to support proactive mosquito surveillance and public health initiatives that help keep the community informed and protected.
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