‘Spread like wildfire’: Qld in grip of sickness tsunami as cases surge 800pc

Queensland is in the grip of a sickness tsunami with cases of potentially life-threatening viruses, gastro bugs, flu, sexually transmitted diseases and bacterial infections soaring by up to 800 per cent.

Queensland is in the grip of a sickness tsunami with cases of potentially life-threatening viruses, gastro bugs, flu, sexually transmitted diseases and bacterial infections soaring by up to 800 per cent.

Cases of two severe gastrointestinal diseases – Yersiniosis and Shiga Toxin - which both cause fever, abdominal pain and diarrhoea have increased by 127 per cent and 60 per cent respectively compared to the same time last year.

A total of 362 Yersiniosis cases have been recorded in the first three months of this year while Shiga Toxin has 8 cases compared to 5 this time last year.

Another three gastrointestinal diseases with the same symptoms had also skyrocketed including Shigellosis which jumped 285 per cent, Rotavirus up 122 per cent and Typhoid increasing by 233 per cent.

Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital Infectious Disease Associate Professor Krispin Hajkowicz said the rise in gastrointestinal disease was largely due to the return of international travellers following the pandemic lockdowns, particularly with Typhoid, Yersiniosis and Shigellosis.

“With rotavirus, less social mixing and lockdowns led to daycare being less accessible too – as a result there are probably a lot of kids getting their first infection” Dr Hajkowicz said.

Queensland University of Technology Faculty of Health Professor Wenbiao Hu said rises in gastrointestinal diseases could also be a result of less people reporting to hospitals last year.

“For example, people didn’t tend to see doctors last year due to Covid so it might look like case numbers dropped when they simply weren’t reported,” Mr Hu said.

Queensland Health confirmed multiple strains of Yersinia had contributed to the rapid spread.

Australian Medical Association Queensland president Dr Maria Boulton urged infected people to stay at home to stop the spread.

“Also avoid food poisoning by having hygiene measures when you are preparing food,” Dr Boulton said.

Cases of the flu have also risen rapidly - up a huge 23,000 per cent with 4,283 cases already recorded this year compared to just 18 at the same time last year.

While Influenza causes fever, chills, muscle aches, cough, congestion, runny nose, headaches and fatigue, Dr Boulton said cases reaching 4,283 was cause for concern given the time of year.

“There hasn’t been a lot of flu around in the past few years so our immunity has lowered making communities more susceptible,” Dr Boulton said.

Flu season is hitting Queensland early.

Dr Boulton said the flu vaccine changed each year and while it started to trickle into GP pharmacies and clinics they were yet to receive the government stock.

“There’s a fear that influenza season will come quite early and be very significant this season so it’s important to get vaccinated to prevent getting affected” she said.

Griffith University Infectious Diseases and Immunology program director Nigel McMillan said it was likely higher for this time of the year due to travellers from colder areas bringing it over.

“Influenza has gone up due to a number of factors including increased visitor numbers and circulation of the virus itself,” Dr McMillan said.

Queenslanders are also being struck down in droves by Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) with more than 3000 cases recorded in just three months - an increase of 870 per cent.

Dr Hajkowicz said unlike flu and covid, there also isn’t a vaccine yet so it “spread like wildfire.”

“Most people get RSV infection as a baby or young child but 10-15 per cent of us get further infections every year,” Dr Hajkowicz said.

He said RSV infections during the pandemic virtually disappeared and had now resurged with because of the population’s lowered immunity.

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) have also soared with Gonorrhoea up 40 per cent with 1,767 cases and Chlamydia up 26 per cent with 5,820 cases. Both cause painful urination, abnormal discharge and genitalia pain.

Mr Hu said STIs had spiked due to social factors.

“Most people were isolating last year and not going to as many social events, so the rise could easily be because people have started going out much more,” Mr Hu said.

Dr Boulton said it was important to get regularly screened given the surge in STIs across the entire community.

“You could be carrying Gonorrhoea without symptoms,” Dr Boulton said.

Queensland health confirmed advances in diagnostic technology and increased testing could partially explain the rise in cases, but was also linked to increases in dating apps and greater access to more sexual partners.

Dr McMillan said the increased casualisation of sex could have led to the rise.

“People just aren’t taking as many precautions in terms of using contraception,” Dr McMillan said.

Two bloodborne diseases – Hepatitis B and HIV – also increased in comparison to last year.

Hepatitis B, which affects the liver and causes fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and dark urine - nearly doubled in the past year with 8 cases recorded.

Dr McMillan said Hepatitis B could easily be getting transferred through sex.

The incurable HIV infection, which can lead to the deadly AIDS, has increased by 80 per cent year-on-year with 47 cases recorded.

Dr Hajkowicz said HIV was most likely being diagnosed in overseas arrivals.

“I haven’t personally seen a locally acquired case in Australia for over a year now, which is really unusual,” Dr Hajkowicz said.

“Overall, there is a significant reduction in HIV cases in Australia over the last decade due to safe sex practices and the widespread use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP),” he said.

Group A Streptococcal, an invasive disease causing sore, red throat or tonsils, pus on throat or tonsils, pain when swallowing, fever and chills, swollen and tender lymph nodes vomiting, nausea and abdominal pain, headache and muscle aches has increased by 142 per cent in 2023.

Dr Hajkowicz said Group A Strep has likely increased to due immunity waning throughout the community over Covid.

“Group A strep also spreads in overcrowded households so it is possible that the housing crisis is also driving increased cases,” Dr Hajkowicz said.

Acute Rheumatic Fever (ARF) - causing inflammation of the heart, blood vessels and joints – had also surged 133 per cent and was a consequence of Strep A infection.

A Queensland Health spokesman said infectious diseases such as influenza, RSV and Group A Streptococcal are best prevented by practising good hand hygiene, covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue or inside of your arm, and staying at home when sick.

The spokesman said case levels for some infectious diseases were expected to return to pre-pandemic levels now that major social distancing restrictions had eased.

“We continue to closely monitor all infectious disease case numbers and provide advice to the community where appropriate,” he said.