AN indigenous health organisation has warned Far North Queenslanders to get on the front foot in the war against dengue fever.
Apunipima Cape York Health Council has urged communities to clean up their back yards and use barriers against the potentially deadly dengue mosquito.
Cairns currently has 10 cases of dengue fever, with victims in Edmonton, Trinity Park and Mooroobool.
The council’s public health medical adviser, Dr Mark Wenitong, said with the wet and humid weather, continual monitoring of back yards and homes was essential to eradicate mozzie breeding sites.
“The mosquito is most active in the early morning or late afternoon and only usually flies 200m from breeding sites,” he said.
“If people get rid of breeding sites, they have a better chance of being protected.”
Dengue mosquitoes thrive in man-made areas because they prefer to lay their eggs in containers found in domestic environments, and the female dengue mosquito needs to feed on humans to produce eggs.
Potential breeding sites include bird baths, pot plants, boats, buckets, palm fronds, plastic containers and gutters.
Dr Wenitong said anything that collected water was a potential site for the insects.
“If people can eradicate breeding sites and use personal protection of themselves and their children with mosquito repellent, coils and surface sprays, that will help reduce the risk,’’ he said.
Cairns director of tropical public health services Dr Richard Gair said everyone across the Far North should be taking steps to protect themselves from dengue.
“These confirmed cases show we can’t be complacent and only a small amount of water can make areas perfect breeding grounds for mosquitoes,’’ he said.
Dengue causes fever with severe headaches, muscle and joint pains, and other symptoms may include a rash, vomiting and diarrhoea.
Anyone with dengue-like symptoms should go to a doctor immediately and get themselves tested.
During the last dengue season, 136 people were infected with the mosquito-borne disease in the Cairns area.