Close up of alive yellow fever mosquito (Aedes aegypti) biting on human skin. Source: Getty Images
HEALTH officials are investigating a suspected case of dengue fever in the Cairns city centre as the disease continues its spread across the Far North.
Queensland Health’s Dengue Action Response Team (DART) has been spraying for mosquitoes in the CBD, following a report of a person showing symptoms of the insect-borne virus.
There have so far been 16 confirmed dengue cases in Cairns and 38 cases in the Tully/El Arish area.
Cairns Chamber of Commerce chief executive Deb Hancock said the suspected case showed the need for business owners to clean up their properties.
“Everybody needs to take action, whether it’s property owned by business or residential,’’ she said.
“We all need to be doing the same thing, making sure that we get rid of any water that’s sitting around because clearly the mosquitoes don’t pick between a commercial property and a residential property.”
Tropical Public Health Service medical entomologist Gerhard Ehlers urged locals holidaying overseas and visitors to the Cairns area to take precautions against dengue fever.
“So far in 2015, we have had nine confirmed imported cases of dengue,” he said.
“In previous years, we had 18 cases in 2014 and 27 confirmed imports in 2013.
“Most of these cases originated from Bali, as well as PNG, Philippines, Tonga, Malaysia and Thailand.”
Anyone with dengue-like symptoms should go to a doctor immediately and then get tested.
