Dress right in clean-up to avoid infection

PEOPLE cleaning up their flooded homes are at risk of potentially serious infection if they don’t take care of themselves, the Public Health Unit has warned.

Director Dr Steven Donohue said people should wear boots and gloves.

“If some turkey turns up who is in flip-flops and shorts, they’re probably not serious, they will be a liability,” he said. “We’re getting a lot of minor injuries, which are exposed to heavily contaminated waters.

“It’s very easy to get a very serious wound infection and wind up in hospital. That’s not helping anybody.”

Dr Donohue said melioidosis and leptospirosis were risks to people like the elderly and those who had issues with their immunity.

Townsville City Council crews have begun monitoring mosquito-prone areas across the city following the unprecedented floods.

Ground and aerial treatments of all breeding sites with increased mosquito numbers will take place after the water recedes to normal levels.

Townsville Local Recovery and Resilience Group chair Les Walker said there was a high chance mosquito numbers would increase after the flooding.

However, Dr Donohue said there were few mosquitoes that carried dengue.

“We are not expecting disease outbreaks from the mosquitoes,” he said.

People are urged to wear long and loose clothing, apply repellent regularly and check yards for items that may hold water to avoid mosquitoes.