Dengue fever: more deaths expected
13 March 2009
Authorities are struggling to control a dengue epidemic that claimed the life of a frail elderly woman in north Queensland last week.
All 4 serotypes (strains) of dengue are now circulating in the region, where there have been more than 640 cases notified since December.
Announcing the death of an 82-year-old Cairns woman, Dr Jeffrey Hanna, medical director for Tropical Population Health Services, warned more deaths were likely among the frail elderly and others with chronic medical conditions.
Thanking local doctors for prompt reporting of suspected cases before laboratory confirmation, Dr Hanna told a news conference the epidemic was ‘not slowing down’ with about 50 cases a week being notified in Cairns alone.
‘It’s difficult to control,’ he said, adding that quarantine would not be practical.
The incubation period between a dengue mosquito bite and developing symptoms was around a week, in which time a person could have travelled to another population centre, he said.
Cairns Regional Council has announced a $400 on-the-spot fine for failure to clear mosquito breeding sites, such as water-filled containers, from household backyards.
Last Reviewed: 13 March 2009
