Fears deadly ZIKA virus could strike Australia after warnings of bumper breeding season for rare mosquito
- There are fresh fears the deadly Zika virus could strike Australia
- Gympie Regional Council will go on a hunt to inspect all rainwater tanks
- Goomeri is the only town identified as having the breed of mosquito
- The screening of the tanks will prevent the breeding of Aedes aegypti mosquito
There are fresh fears the deadly Zika virus could strike Australia, after a Queensland Council revealed the mosquito which carries the virus is well populated there.
Gympie Regional Council will go on a three-month hunt from April to inspect all rainwater tanks in Goomeri, north of Brisbane.
'Goomeri is the only town within the Gympie region identified as having this particular breed of mosquito,' Councillor Smerdon told The Gympie Times.
![The Aedes aegypti mosquito (pictured stock) is the main mosquito which transmits the Zika virus, dengue fever and the chikungunya virus](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/03/29/09/4AA8A12600000578-0-image-a-5_1522311837720.jpg)
The Aedes aegypti mosquito (pictured stock) is the main mosquito which transmits the Zika virus, dengue fever and the chikungunya virus
![There are fresh fears the deadly Zika virus could strike Australia, after a Queensland Council revealed the mosquito which carries the virus is well populated there](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/03/29/09/4AA8A12F00000578-0-image-a-6_1522311840687.jpg)
There are fresh fears the deadly Zika virus could strike Australia, after a Queensland Council revealed the mosquito which carries the virus is well populated there
Officers from the council and Queensland Health will visit all the properties in Goomeri to stop the spread of the mosquito.
Councillor Hilary Smerdon said inspections of the tanks is a legal requirement and it is important in stopping the further spread of the virus.
He said they want to ensure they have the right mosquito-proof screening and flap valves which will prevent the mosquito from entering into the tank.
The screening will prevent the breeding of the Aedes aegypti mosquito within the community and around Australia.
However, if a tank does not have the mosquito-proof screen and flap valves, or if it's defective, the council will provide information to the resident to ensure the tank is fixed.
![Councillor Hilary Smerdon said inspections of the tanks is a legal requirement and it is important in stopping the further spread of the virus](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/03/29/09/4AA8A0E900000578-0-image-a-7_1522311848106.jpg)
Councillor Hilary Smerdon said inspections of the tanks is a legal requirement and it is important in stopping the further spread of the virus
![The virus is passed on to human when they are bitten by an infected female Aedes mosquito](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/03/29/09/4AA8A0F100000578-0-image-a-8_1522311860295.jpg)
The virus is passed on to human when they are bitten by an infected female Aedes mosquito
According to the World Health Organisation, the Aedes aegypti mosquito is the main mosquito which transmits the Zika virus, dengue fever and the chikungunya virus.
The virus is passed on to human when they are bitten by an infected female Aedes mosquito.
The female Aedes mosquito acquires the virus when it feeds off an infected person.
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