The NSW Arbovirus Surveillance and Mosquito Monitoring Program (ASMMP), led by NSW Health, provides early warnings about risks associated with viruses spread by mosquitoes (arboviruses) across NSW and information on how the public can protect themselves from mosquitoes.
The ASMMP runs from spring to autumn each year, when mosquitoes are most active. It monitors mosquito numbers across NSW and tests mosquitoes for the presence of certain arboviruses of concern that can be transmitted to humans like Ross River, Barmah Forest, Kunjin, Murray Valley encephalitis (MVE), and Japanese encephalitis (JE).
The program also takes blood samples from special flocks of chickens in inland NSW and tests them for antibodies directed at three arboviruses typically found inland: Kunjin, MVE and JE.
This dashboard includes:
- mosquito trapping data from 1984 to present
- sentinel chicken data from 2003 to present
- rainfall and temperature data from 1984 to present overlaid against mosquito trapping and sentinel chicken data
Mosquito counts (CSV, 9.98 mb)
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Temperature data (CSV, 52.97 mb)
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Sentinel chicken data (CSV, 782.58 kb)
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Mosquito virus detections (CSV, 118.14 kb)
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Rainfall (CSV, 10.14 mb)
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Important notes for interpretation
Factors influencing exposure: High mosquito numbers do not always lead to an increase in human arbovirus cases. Other factors, such as weather, human behaviour, and the use of protective measures, can affect the risk of exposure to mosquito-borne viruses.
Trapping locations: Locations on maps reflect the mid-point of sites within a broader location, not exact mosquito trap sites (as some trapping sites are located on private properties).
Seasonal variation: Some locations may consistently experience higher mosquito numbers throughout a season while others may have lower numbers and others may have sudden increases in mosquito numbers at points during the season. There may also be variability in mosquito numbers between seasons.
Positive test results: For mosquito traps, a detection represents the presence of virus in at least one mosquito in a sample of trapped mosquitoes. For sentinel chickens, a positive test result means that one or more chickens in a flock have tested positive for antibodies directed against a particular virus for the first time, suggesting a newly acquired infection. Infection in chickens gives an indication that there is enough virus to transmit to humans.