A third case of dengue possible

HEALTH officials have confirmed a second case of dengue fever in Mareeba and are awaiting test results on a likely third case.

A woman has been diagnosed with locally-acquired dengue after another woman was confirmed with the mosquito-borne disease earlier this month.

Mareeba, before this month, had been dengue-free for about 15 years.

Tropical Public Health Services Cairns acting director Dr Roscoe Taylor said the latest patient, a woman, had been identified through contact tracing and diagnosed retrospectively, meaning she no longer showed symptoms of the illness and had been in the same area as the original case.

“She is likely to have been exposed at around the same time,” he said.

“We are awaiting results on another probable case of dengue fever, also likely to have been exposed at around the same time in the same area in Mareeba.”

He said the additional cases were not unexpected.

“The Dengue Action Response Team promptly carried out mosquito control in the area, where Aedes aeypti – the mosquitoes that can transmit dengue – were found to be present.

“No further cases are expected in this outbreak.”

Mareeba is outside the scope of the World Mosquito Program, formerly known as the Eliminate Dengue program.

To date, there has not been any cases of dengue in other parts of the Far North where the program released Wolbachia bacteria-infected mosquitoes to reduce the spread of the disease.

Dr Taylor said, while the Far North was well into the dry season, people needed to stay vigilant about protecting themselves against mosquito bites, and eliminating mozzie breeding areas on their properties.