Cyclone link to gastro

CYCLONES can cause a spike in the number of gastro cases, according to new data from the NT Centre for Disease Control.

CDC’s quarterly bulletin, released this month, reported there was an increase in the number of salmonella infections – a common type of gastro – in the Top End during April last year, just a few short weeks after Cyclone Marcus tore through Darwin.

Australian Medical Association NT branch president Rob Parker wasn’t surprised by the data.

“After a cyclone, there’s more water around, and there’s an increase in heat and the humidity,” he said.

“The electricity was off in parts of Darwin for a while, and refrigeration protects against food poisoning.”

Dr Parker said so many homes going without power for days – or weeks – after Cyclone Marcus had an impact on public health.

He said modern Territorians relied on electricity.

“There’s a good health argument here about underground powerlines,” he said.

In their report, CDC researchers said salmonellosis notifications in the Territory “normally” increased during the wetter, warmer months.

“In 2018 the peak was in April, which coincidentally followed a late cyclone in the Top End,” it said. “The NT consistently observes higher rates of salmonellosis than the rest of Australia, largely due to the high number of children less than five years old who contract salmonellosis, usually from environmental rather than food sources.”

CDC stats showed there were 554 notifications of salmonellosis in the NT last year – on par with the annual average.

Gastro isn’t the only health concern cyclones can bring with them, according to the World Health Organisation.

“The risk for waterborne disease and vector-transmitted disease can be exacerbated: human exposure to disease vectors can be increased due to changes in the physical environment,” WHO said.