Public health officials are expanding mosquito surveillance to British Columbia’s North Shore this summer to assess emerging disease risks. The BC Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver Coastal Health, and the University of British Columbia Department of Zoology will collect and test specimens in partnership with local First Nations and municipal governments.
Dr. Anya F. Smith, principal investigator at the BCCDC, stated the initiative targets densely populated coastal areas to identify pathogens transmissible to humans and animals. This expansion follows a 2025 pilot project in the Sea-to-Sky region triggered by pediatric encephalitis cases and the detection of California serogroup virus.
Researchers warn that climate change is accelerating mosquito life cycles and creating new habitats for invasive species in previously cooler zones. Field teams will deploy traps across multiple North Shore sites to test specifically for West Nile virus and California serogroup virus. Health authorities advise residents to use federally registered repellents containing DEET or icaridin and wear protective clothing during peak dusk-to-dawn activity periods.