Dengue: Australia 2010

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/01/05/2785503.htm

Townsville suspends dengue house inspections

By Natalie Poyhonen

Posted 5 hours 49 minutes ago
Updated 5 hours 43 minutes ago
The last confirmed case of dengue fever in Townsville was in mid December.


Townsville City Council has stopped inspecting houses for dengue-mosquito breeding sites because there have been no new cases.

The last confirmed case of dengue fever was in mid-December.

Councillor Dale Last says the last inspections were just before Christmas.

"If we get another reported case of dengue then we'll certainly be out on the ground running," he said.

"But it is extremely resource intensive door-knocking houses in a particular area, and as a consequence unless we have a reported case, there's not a lot of point in going out and just randomly inspecting houses."

 

[Shiloh]

Re: Dengue: Australia 2010

Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/01/28/2803868.htm

Dengue case confirmed in Mackay

Queensland Health says a case of dengue fever has been confirmed in the Mackay region.

Dr Steven Donohue says a local resident who recently returned from South-East Asia has tested positive for the mosquito-borne illness.

Townsville has recorded 13 cases of locally contracted dengue since mid-December.

Dr Donohue says people need to clean up areas around the home where mosquitoes breed, to prevent an outbreak in the region.

 

[Shiloh]

Re: Dengue: Australia 2010

Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/01/29/2804603.htm

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Expert plays down Mackay dengue risk

Queensland Health says there is a low risk more dengue fever cases will emerge in the Mackay region in north Queensland.

One person in the Andergrove area has tested positive to the disease after recently returning from South-East Asia.

Dr Steven Donohue says Mackay does not have a large number of the aedes aegypti mosquitoes that spread the disease.

"The case was picked up by the person's doctor very quickly and we were able to do some additional tests that showed us that this was the case," he said.

"A very responsible person has already taken precautions to make sure they don't get any further bites and they're killing any adult mosquitos in and around that house and soon we'll be doing the neighbourhood as well."

Mackay Regional Mayor Col Meng says four council workers will begin home inspections today to reduce the risk the disease will spread.

"What our people will do is we'll work with Queensland Health ... we'll certainly do a visit to every house within about 400 metres of where the disease was found," he said.

"We will then try and encourage people all around those areas, as well as doing inspections, to make sure everything is empty so we don't have any mosquitos that can breed in certain areas."

 

[Shiloh]

Re: Dengue: Australia 2010

Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/02/04/2810000.htm

Scientists seek support for dengue fight
By Siobhan Barry
Posted 2 hours 54 minutes ago

A team of University of Queensland (UQ) researchers says it wants to get community support before trialing a new dengue fever control measure.

Scientists have found that infecting dengue mosquitoes with a naturally occurring bacteria shortens their lifespan and stops them from becoming infected with the dengue virus.

Professor Scott O'Neill says initial results have been successful and they are hoping to extend the tests during the next wet season.

"We're not prepared to move this into field testing unless we have regulatory approval as well as the strong support of the community," he said.

He says public meetings will be held in Cairns to keep people up-to-date.

"We're wanting to tell people about the work, what's involved with it, and to get feedback from people and listen to any concerns people have, and find ways to address those concerns," he said.

Townsville Environmental Health Services in north Queensland this week confirmed the first 2010 case of dengue fever.

 

[Shiloh]

Re: Dengue: Australia 2010

Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/02/04/2809995.htm?section=australia

Dengue fever fears loom in cyclone Olga's wake
By Josh Bavas for AM
Posted 3 hours 2 minutes ago


As residents across Queensland continue to mop up from ex-tropical cyclone Olga, dengue fever is emerging as the new danger in the north of the state.

Teams of inspectors are combing through inner city Townsville, looking for mosquito breeding sites.

A woman who returned to a highly populated area of Townsville from Vietnam was confirmed as this year's first case of dengue two days ago.

A task force has been established to contain the spread of the disease.

North Queensland residents are all too familiar with the dangers of living in the tropics.

Once again the aedes egypti mosquito - the insect that spreads dengue - is busy breeding in the stagnant waters of the urban sprawl.

Darren Alsemgeest works closely with council patrols that have started searching backyards for pools of still water left over from last week's heavy rain.

"It's a day-time biter so it will lurk around the day," he said.

"People need to protect themselves during the day - if they're having a barbeque in the backyard, light a mosquito coil."

Dr Steven Donahue from the Department of Tropical Population Heath says conditions are now perfect for an outbreak.

"Dengue is a horrible disease, occasionally with quite nasty complications requiring hospital," he said.

"But most people suffer terrible pains and are basically unable to move for a week or 10 days - there's no specific treatment."

With one case confirmed, stopping the mosquitoes from breeding has an added urgency.

"The doctor suspected dengue fever and told us immediately," Dr Donahue said.

"We were very quickly able to verify that and launched a response, basically because most of the towns in north Queensland have got aedes egypti [mosquitoes] ... and we need to work very quickly to avoid outbreaks when this happens."

More than 1,000 north Queenslanders contracted dengue fever last year, setting a new record.

Dr Donahue is waiting to find out if the latest case is a different strain of the disease compared to what was previously circulating.

"We probably get in north Queensland, maybe 20 imports a year and international travellers who've come back either incubating the disease or already sick," he said.

"It's impossible to stop these things from happening but because this is a receptive area to the disease spread, it's really important to us to get onto those cases quickly."

More than a fifth of all imported cases of the virus spread domestically.

Mr Alsemgeest says while simple tasks can prevent the spread of disease within Australian borders, there is no way to prevent imported cases.

"All we need for dengue to occur in Townsville is for an imported case, a person coming from overseas in a dengue-infected area to bring that virus with them," he said.

 

[Shiloh]

Re: Dengue: Australia 2010

Source: http://www.cairns.com.au/article/2010/02/25/95935_local-news.html

Tully dengue fever outbreak

Thursday, February 25, 2010

? The Cairns Post


BREAKING NEWS: A Tully resident has been diagnosed with the first locally acquired dengue fever case in Far North Queensland this season.

Queensland Health today confirmed that a local resident had been confirmed with the mosquito-borne disease, with the dengue type unknown at present.

It is the first known locally-acquired dengue fever case in Tully for at least two decades.

So far this wet season, there have been 13 locally-acquired cases in two separate outbreaks in Townsville.

In November, three Cairns residents caught dengue type 2 after travelling to Vietnam, Malaysia and India.

Queensland Health medical director Dr Jeffrey Hanna warned Tully residents to be on guard against the disease.

?Although we have had a quiet dengue season so far, this case is a crucial reminder for North Queensland residents to take action now,? he said.
?There is a large amount of people movement between Tully and the rest of North Queensland, including Townsville and Cairns where historically we have had regular dengue outbreaks.

?With the recent rains and the warm temperatures, I strongly urge all Tully residents to take preventive steps.

?It is important that people ? individuals as well as businesses ? get rid of mosquito breeding sites around the yard and workplace.?

Dr Hanna said the Dengue Action Response Team would be visiting Tully to undertake yard inspections and set traps to kill dengue mosquitoes.

?Dengue mosquitoes only breed around homes and in urban areas, and not in swamps or creeks,? Dr Hanna said.

?Therefore, I urge all Tully residents to take immediate action to help prevent further dengue cases.?...

 

[Shiloh]

Re: Dengue: Australia 2010

Source: http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/townsvilles-dengue-outbreaks-over-20100306-pp21.html

Townsville's dengue outbreaks over
EVAN SCHWARTEN
March 6, 2010 - 12:04AM

AAP

Two dengue fever outbreaks which hit Townsville late last year have been declared over.

Queensland Health on Friday confirmed there had been no new locally transmitted cases of the virus in the Townsville area since December.

Dengue outbreaks are officially declared over in Queensland three months after the last report of local transmission.

Thirteen people were affected by the outbreaks in November and early December.

However, public health medical officer Steven Donohue said there had been two imported cases in the region this year and further cases could be expected.

"There is a permanent threat, the wet season isn't even over and there is no way that we detect every person who comes into Australia suffering or incubating the virus because it is rampant across most of the tropical world," he told AAP.

In contrast to last wet season when more than 1000 people contracted the virus in outbreaks from Cape York to Townsville, only three outbreaks have been recorded since November.

Authorities are also monitoring an outbreak in Tully, south of Cairns, where a local woman acquired the virus a fortnight ago.

Dr Donohue said the combined effort of GPs, council, Queensland Health and the general community had been responsible for keeping the virus under control this season.

"I think that combination of efforts is beginning to make a difference," he said.

"It represents months and months of work and it's a real piece of good news showing that we are capable of beating dengue outbreaks."

 

[Shiloh]

Re: Dengue: Australia 2010

Source: http://www.cairns.com.au/article/2010/03/11/98671_local-news.html

Tully dengue outbreak spreads
Thursday, March 11, 2010
? The Cairns Post


TWO more Tully residents have been struck down with dengue fever.

Officials yesterday confirmed a male and a female had been diagnosed with type 2 of the mosquito-borne disease, bringing the total number of cases in the Far North this season to three.

The two new cases were identified close to where a woman in her 20s who was diagnosed with type 2 dengue two weeks ago was living...

 

[Shiloh]

Re: Dengue: Australia 2010

Source: http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-new...ever-outbreak-hits-nth-qld-20100416-sik8.html

New dengue fever outbreak hits Nth Qld
April 16, 2010 - 10:19AM

A new outbreak of dengue fever has hit Townsville.

Queensland Health on Friday confirmed two residents, from the suburbs of North Ward and Deeragun, have been diagnosed with type two of the dengue virus - the first locally acquired cases in the city since December...

 

[Shiloh]

Re: Dengue: Australia 2010

Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/04/19/2876240.htm

Experts try to find dengue outbreak source
By Josh Bavas
Posted 2 hours 15 minutes ago

Queensland Health says the origin of a dengue fever outbreak in Townsville, in Queensland's north, is still unknown.

Two women in Townsville have contracted type-two dengue, with both cases locally acquired...

 

[Shiloh]

Re: Dengue: Australia 2010

Source: http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-new...e-case-found-in-townsville-20100420-srhh.html

Third dengue case found in Townsville
April 20, 2010 - 5:54PM

AAP

A third Townsville resident is believed to have contracted dengue fever after an outbreak was declared in the north Queensland city last week.

Queensland Health says it's awaiting test results on a third probable dengue fever case in the city after two people tested positive for the virus last week.

The latest case is the second from the suburb of North Ward while the other recorded case was at Deeragun.

Authorities say the cases do not appear to be connected and the origin of the outbreak is still unknown...

 

[Shiloh]

Re: Dengue: Australia 2010

Source: http://www.cairnsnewspapers.com.au/localnews/detail.asp?aid=1456

New dengue cases in Tully and Wongaling Beach

Tully and Wongaling Beach residents are being urged to protect themselves against dengue fever, following confirmation of four new locally-acquired dengue cases in the area.

Queensland Health today confirmed that one Wongaling Beach resident and three Tully residents were recently diagnosed with dengue.

It is very likely that these four new cases are part of the Tully outbreak, which was declared in late February this year, and has now affected seven local residents.

A dengue fever outbreak was also declared in Townsville last month, which to date has affected two local residents. However, the Tully and Townsville outbreaks are not linked in any way...

 

[Shiloh]

Re: Dengue: Australia 2010

Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/05/06/2891608.htm

Health experts fear dengue spread
By Jessica Mawer
Posted 18 minutes ago


Queensland Health (QH) says it is concerned the latest outbreak of dengue fever in far north Queensland could get worse.

Four more people have contracted locally-acquired type two dengue in the Tully area south of Cairns, bringing the total to seven since February.

Dengue mosquito control teams are checking the area and spraying possible breeding sites.

QH spokesman Dr Jeffrey Hanna says recent heavy rain has provided the perfect breeding ground for aedes aegypti mosquitos.

He says dengue control teams are spraying affected areas...

 

[Shiloh]

Re: Dengue: Australia 2010

Source: http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2010/s2912739.htm

Experts fear southern spread of dengue

Print Email

Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Broadcast: 29/05/2010

Reporter: Kirrin McKechnie

Researchers fear dengue fever could be spreading south, as mosquitos head for cooler climates.
Transcript
TICKY FULLERTON, PRESENTER: It's a debilitating illness that strikes across northern Australia every summer. Spread by mosquitoes, dengue fever has been on the rise here over the past few years.

Now researchers are worried the disease could hit Australians further south. They say as people become more water-wise, they've created ideal mozzie breeding spots in their own backyards, and to add to concern, a new mozzie is in the mix.

The Asian Tiger Mosquito enjoys cooler temperatures, making dengue fever a real threat as far south as Sydney and Melbourne.

From Queensland, Kirrin McKechnie reports.

KIRRIN MCKECHNIE, REPORTER: It looks like an average suburban garden, but lurking amongst the trees and shrubs is a ticking time bomb.

TIM HURST, QLD INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL RESEARCH: You look around here and you've got a very lush garden and to keep that growing you need water. The problem is when you're keeping water around a house, you're also attracting mosquitoes.

KIRRIN MCKECHNIE: Tim Hurst, a medical entomologist with the Queensland Institute of Medical Research. He's spent the last 18 months poking about in Brisbane backyards and he's found as Australians get more water-wise they're helping boost the mosquito population.

TIM HURST: Things have changed and we've got probably a quarter to a third of people now in this suburb in particular and others are collecting water in containers, things like buckets and drums. Probably one in two houses has a rainwater tank now. When you expand that out into the entire Brisbane, that's close to 200,000 rainwater tanks, and that's a massive amount of tanks to potentially fail and attract mosquitoes in the future.

KIRRIN MCKECHNIE: And those mosquitoes could bring dengue fever with them. The disease has long been confined to northern Australia, but now researchers fear it could head south.

SCOTT RITCHIE, JCU MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGIST: There is a worry that they could get reintroduced into Brisbane and we could have large outbreaks, even epidemics of dengue in Brisbane that could even potentially in the future spread further down the coast.

KIRRIN MCKECHNIE: Last year, North Queensland had its biggest outbreak of dengue fever since the 1950s; more than a thousand people got the illness. Katheryn Calgagno was one of them...

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Dengue: Australia 2010

WEST Australians are being warned to watch out for infectious diseases when travelling to Bali.
It comes after Dengue fever notifications in WA have increased from 16 in 2006 to 151 in the first half of 2010.

Health Department communicable disease control director Paul Armstrong said most of the new cases of Dengue fever were associated with travel to Bali.

Symptoms can occur within three to 14 days of being bitten and include fever, severe headache, aching joints and muscles, pain behind the eyes, nausea, vomiting and a rash.

Dr Armstrong said that while most people recovered completely from the illness, there was a risk of developing a rare but potentially fatal form of the disease.

Adelaide Now, 3 Sep 2009.End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.
The mosquito that transmits Dengue fever commonly bites during the day and in shady, indoor situations.

It is important to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes by taking precautions such as:

- Ensuring accommodation is mosquito-proof

- Wearing long, loose-fitting, light-coloured protective clothing;

- Using personal repellents.

- Ensuring infants and children sleeping or playing indoors during the day are adequately protected against mosquito bites, preferably with suitable clothing or bed nets. Only infant-strength repellents should be used on children.

Dr Armstrong said gastroenteritis was also very common in travellers and could be caused by a range of bacteria, viruses and parasites.

Nearly one third of Salmonella infections notified in WA so far this year were acquired overseas, mostly in Bali.

?Travellers to developing countries need to be very careful with the food they eat and the water they drink,? Dr Armstrong said.

?To reduce the risk of gastroenteritis people should avoid eating salads, raw or runny eggs and fruit that is eaten with the skin on.?

Dr Armstrong said that sexually transmissible infections, such as gonorrhoea, chlamydia and HIV are also a risk in travellers who have casual sex, highlighting the importance of heeding safe sex messages, especially the use of condoms.

Rabies is also a serious risk in Bali.

About 60 Balinese have died from rabies in the past two years after animal bites, mostly from dogs.

Many of these bites have been sustained in the southern areas of Bali which are popular with tourists.
http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/bal...engue-fever-case/story-e6frg12c-1225887101639

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Dengue: Australia 2010

Dengue fever hits Cairns again
Carenda Jenkin

Thursday, July 22, 2010

? The Cairns Post

QUEENSLAND Health has this afternoon reported two cases of dengue fever in Cairns, nine months after worst epidemic in 50 years ended.

The cases are concerning for health authorities after two people contracted the disease locally during the dry season.

It comes after the city`s worst epidemic in 50 years was announced officially over last September.

The dengue cases are reportedly from Mt Sheridan.


Tropical Regional Services Public Health Medical Officer Dr Steven Donohue said there had been several imported cases.

"But it`s a concern to see local transmission at this time of year," said Dr Donohue," Dr Donohue said.

"I am also concerned because our teams have found dengue mosquitoes breeding across the suburbs of Cairns.

Dr Donohue said the dengue cases were a crucial reminder for Cairns residents to take action against dengue mosquitoes, which only breed in water containers around people`s homes.

"It is important everyone - individuals as well as businesses - gets rid of mosquito breeding sites around the yard and workplace.

"We want to ensure people are as prepared as possible, before our next wet season, to avoid a repeat of 2009."

More information about dengue fever is available at www.health.qld.gov.au/dengue

http://www.cairns.com.au/article/2010/07/22/119401_local-news.html

 

[Shiloh]

Re: Dengue: Australia 2010

Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/09/24/3021108.htm

North Qld dealing with more dengue cases

By Kirsty Nancarrow
Posted 39 minutes ago

...A resident of the Cairns suburb of Parramatta Park has been diagnosed with type two dengue fever.

QH says it is awaiting test results on several other suspected cases in the same suburb...

...There have been 30 confirmed cases of dengue fever in north Queensland this year including five in Cairns...

 

[Shiloh]

Re: Dengue: Australia 2010

Source: http://www.cairns.com.au/article/2010/09/25/128255_local-news.html

Four dengue cases confirmed in Far North
Laura Packham
Saturday, September 25, 2010

? The Cairns Post

FEARS of another dengue fever epidemic in Cairns are spreading, with four local people yesterday confirmed to have fallen victim to the mosquito-borne disease.

Queensland Health revealed four Parramatta Park residents are suffering from type 2 dengue fever, with a further dozen people also expected to test positive once results become available.

Authorities are bracing for another outbreak, with the city?s largest dengue fever epidemic in 50 years in 2008 still fresh in their minds...

 

[Shiloh]

Re: Dengue: Australia 2010

Source: http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-new...e-case-in-cairns-outbreak-20100927-15tjt.html

Fifth dengue case in Cairns outbreak
September 27, 2010 - 3:34PM

AAP

A fifth Cairns resident has been diagnosed with dengue fever following the declaration of an outbreak of the mosquito borne virus last week...

 

[Shiloh]

Re: Dengue: Australia 2010

Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/09/29/3024833.htm

Dengue case prompts warning to clean up gardens
By Josh Bavas

Posted 1 hour 1 minute ago

Townsville City Council in north Queensland is urging residents in suburban Hermit Park to check their backyards for mosquito breeding sites, after another confirmed case of dengue fever.

It is the eighth case reported in Townsville this year and follows a recent outbreak in Cairns, where five people have contracted the virus...