Mozzie viruses spark warning

TWO cases of mosquito- borne viruses brought into North Queensland this month have prompted health authorities to warn international travellers to avoid being bitten.

The Townsville Public Health Unit yesterday confirmed a Cranbrook resident was earlier this month struck down by dengue fever while another person had fallen ill with the zika virus in Mackay.

It is understood the zika case was contracted in Cuba while the dengue came from an Asia- Pacific country.

Public Health Registrar Dr Julie Mudd urged travellers to seek advice on health risks in countries they intended to visit.

“Most outbreaks start when locals catch a mosquito- borne illness such as dengue or zika while overseas and were still infectious when they returned home,” she said.

“People need to protect themselves from mosquitoes and use insect repellent when they travel to tropical countries where dengue occurs year round, especially in the AsiaPacific region.”

TPHU director Dr Steven Donohue said the case of dengue fever in Cranbrook would last less than a week in the victim’s blood, but could be picked up by a local mosquito.

“We have given the patient advice to make sure they don’t get bitten, spray their house and wear repellent while they are sick,” Dr Donohue said.

“It’s about protecting the family and neighbourhood and, furthermore, preventing an outbreak in Australia.”

Dr Donohue said the hospital’s public health unit was confident the reported case would not spark an outbreak.

“These days there are so many people travelling to Asia and the Pacific, we would expect to see a number of imported cases every year and work very hard to ensure these people do not set off a chain of infections,” he said.

Dr Donohue said high- risk areas included the inner suburbs such as South Townsville, North Ward, Hyde Park and Heatley.

TPHU started its annual preventive program for the wet season earlier this month, targeting high- risk properties as well as backpacker, shared and low- budget accommodation across the city.

Dr Mudd said while this included inspecting properties for dengue mosquitoes, spraying inside and around properties and setting mosquito traps, the community needed to help.

“People should tip out and store anything that can hold water around the home, such as tyres, pot plant bases, toys and junk as these are where the mosquito lays its eggs, and screen their homes,” she said.

“Residents should kill mosquitoes in and around the home using long- acting surface or cockroach spray.”

Townsville City Council yesterday confirmed spraying had already begun with several rounds of the preventive activity occurring each year.