United States: An elderly person succumbed to the serious infectious disease melioidosis acquired through contaminated water which has triggered safety alerts to residents in North Queensland flood zones.
A Townsville Public Health Unit report confirmed the death of an elderly person due to melioidosis infection within the previous week and stated three residents tested positive for dengue virus, as reported by Yahoo.com.
Cases of melioidosis have dramatically surged in Queensland’s flood-ridden far north with at least four people dying after contracting the deadly, soil-borne bacterial disease which thrives in wet, muddy conditions.https://t.co/3yG7Xv8vMU
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) February 20, 2025
Health Risks After Flooding and Rain
Director Dr. Steven Donohue informed that all melioidosis cases spiked during the wet seasons and after the floods and rains in February.
“Melioidosis is a very serious infectious disease caused by soil bacteria in northern Australia,” Dr Donohue said.
“It can enter the body when a break in the skin comes into contact with contaminated water or by breathing in muddy droplets, causing pneumonia.”
Symptoms and Treatment of Melioidosis
Patients with the infectious disease may experience fever together with chest pain, weight loss, cough and muscle pain and headaches which may appear days to weeks after exposure to the bacteria.
Medical professionals diagnose this illness through urine or blood examinations and doctors treat patients with antibiotics.
Dr. Donohue advised residents to adopt caution in their flood restoration work after the flooding event.
Safety Precautions for Residents
Dr. Donohue explained that people handling floodwater and soil must wear protective gloves, appropriate footwear, and protective clothing, followed by using a mask while pressure hosing mud to stop breathing soil contaminants in droplets, as reported by Yahoo.com.
Dengue Fever Alert and Prevention
He advised people to take necessary precautions for dengue fever prevention despite the “low” danger level.
Protect yourself from mosquito bites by using a zapper or mosquito coil combined with screened windows and removing water sources and putting on protective clothing and repellent.
Call 13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84) to discover more about dengue virus, melioidosis, and other illnesses and infections.