Fresh dengue warning after new cases appear in North Ward

Townsville’s leading public health expert has urged residents to take all necessary precautions to protect themselves after a fresh spate of cases of dengue were identified in North Ward.

Flavivirus (family Flaviviridae), these viruses are responsible for yellow fever, dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis, Zika virus, West Nile encephalitis. They are transmitted by mosquitoes or ticks. image produced from transmission electron microscopy (viral diameter approximately 40 to 60 nm). (Photo by: CAVALLINI JAMES/BSIP/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Townsville’s leading public health professional has warned that there has been ‘sustained transmission’ of dengue fever in Townsville’s inner-city suburbs, and urged residents to ‘take all the necessary precautions’.

Townsville University Hospital’s Director of Public Health Unit Dr Steven Donahue said up to six probable cases of dengue had been reported in two houses ‘within 100 metres’ of previous cases reported in North Ward in January.

“This is quite uncommon, this is really the first full-scale Dengue outbreak response we’ve done in Townsville in the last eight or nine years,” Dr Donohue said.

“Now, what that means is that here in Townsville it’s really important to take dengue precautions. These mosquitoes are very quiet, they’re sneaky, they hide in and around your house, you won’t see them most of the time and they bite you mostly on your legs, during the day.

“Therefore, it’s really important to tip out anything that’s holding water around your house. They’ll breed in junk, tyres, potplant bases. Tip those out. Have a dry yard as much as possible.

“Make sure to spray dark, damp hiding places inside your house. Use surface spray or long-acting insecticide – under the sink, in the bathroom or the laundry, all of those hiding places. That’s a great way to get rid of these mosquitoes.”

Dr Donohue said a combined team of public health workers and council staff would be operating in North Ward and taking proactive measures to curtail the dengue population.

“If they leave a message on your door saying they visited you but you weren’t home, please ring them back, don’t ignore that message,” Dr Donohue said.

An Aedes aegypti mosquito. AFP PHOTO / Courtesy of Shinji KASAI

“Don’t be surprised if you see workers from health or local council in North Ward responding to that outbreak. They’re doing their job and they’re protecting the community.”

Dr Donohue said chemicals used by the team were ‘harmless’ and ‘very safe’.

“They’re the sort of thing you can buy in the supermarket, but applied by professionals. This is a really important step to stamp it out in that area.

“If you get dengue fever, about a week after being bitten by a mosquito that is carrying it, you could end up with a fever, aches and pains, severe headaches, feeling very tired, nauseas. It usually gets better after a week, but in rare occasions, usually when someone has been sick with dengue fever before, they can get bleeding, low blood pressure or shock, and they need to be in hospital.”

Dr Donohue said investigations into the spread and origins of the disease outbreak were ongoing.

Originally published as Fresh dengue warning after new cases appear in North Ward