Sydney, May 15 (IANS) The death toll from an outbreak of a tropical disease linked to heavy rainfall and flooding in northern Australia has increased to 31.
According to the latest data from the health department in Queensland reported by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on Wednesday, 31 people have died from melioidosis in the state in 2025.
It said that one person, from the coastal city of Townsville in tropical northern Queensland, died from melioidosis in the past week.
In the same period, there were four new reported cases; one in Townsville and three in the city of Cairns, further north. It takes the total number of reported cases in Queensland in 2025 to 221, an increase of 163 compared to the same point in 2024.
Townsville, Cairns and surrounding areas received record-breaking rainfall in February that caused widespread devastating flooding, Xinhua news agency reported.
Steven Donohue, director of the Townsville Public Health Unit, told the ABC that cases have slowed down significantly since the weather dried up and authorities believe the outbreak is “probably over.”
“It is a pretty nasty disease, particularly when it happens to the sick and elderly. Deaths are not uncommon,” he said.
Queensland Health previously advised people to be alert for symptoms, including a cough, fever and difficulty breathing, and to wear protective footwear, gloves and a mask when coming into contact with muddy water or soil and when using a hose or high-pressure cleaner.
Melioidosis is a rare tropical disease caused by bacteria commonly found in soil and water in Southeast Asia and northern Australia. After heavy rainfall it becomes airborne.
Melioidosis has a wide range of signs and symptoms. You usually develop symptoms of melioidosis within 1 to 4 weeks after you’ve been exposed to it. Some cases have developed symptoms months or years after exposure. The disease can affect one body system or affect the entire body. Because of these factors, melioidosis is hard to diagnose and may be mistaken for other diseases.
Sometimes the illness is just in one area (localised), and it may look like an ulcer or skin sore. You might have a fever, swelling, and muscle aches.
–IANS
int/jk/rad
Disclaimer
The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by BhaskarLive.in and while we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.
In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or profits arising out of, or in connection with, the use of this website.
Through this website you are able to link to other websites which are not under the control of BhaskarLive.in We have no control over the nature, content and availability of those sites. The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.
Every effort is made to keep the website up and running smoothly. However, BhaskarLive.in takes no responsibility for, and will not be liable for, the website being temporarily unavailable due to technical issues beyond our control.
For any legal details or query please visit original source link given with news or click on Go to Source.
Our translation service aims to offer the most accurate translation possible and we rarely experience any issues with news post. However, as the translation is carried out by third part tool there is a possibility for error to cause the occasional inaccuracy. We therefore require you to accept this disclaimer before confirming any translation news with us.
If you are not willing to accept this disclaimer then we recommend reading news post in its original language.
