Latest news with #MaterHealth
Perth Now
3 hours ago
- Health
- Perth Now
Aussie state hits 71 malaria cases
An outbreak of a potentially fatal disease continues in the Sunshine State as authorities race to investigate two more locally acquired cases, bringing the total number of infections this year to 71. Queensland Health confirmed a second locally acquired infection was recently identified in the Torres Strait Islands local government area. Ninety-seven per cent of the cases this year to date have come from overseas, predominantly Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands. There are now 71 cases of the potentially deadly disease recorded in the Sunshine State to date this year. WHO Credit: Supplied It is a major increase in numbers, with 69 infections recorded in the same period in 2024, 50 in 2023, 20 in 2022 and only four in 2021. The presence of floodwaters is believed to be a key reason for the spike. Malaria is preventable and curable, and is not able to be passed from person to person, but rather spread through the bites of some infected Anopheles mosquitoes. 'We don't have mosquitoes capable of passing malaria on all throughout the country, but certainly in the more tropical parts of our country, the Northern Territory and northern parts of Queensland,' Mater Health infectious diseases director Paul Griffin said. 'That's why in those areas we need to give people that advice to make sure we reduce the chance of local transmission. Mater Health infectious diseases director Paul Griffin said it was important to advise Australians on how to avoid being bitten. NCA NewsWire / Brenton Edwards Credit: News Corp Australia 'With more significant types of malaria, the severe consequences can be involvement of the brain, so cerebral malaria and even death,' he told ABC News. 'It is something that we do need to take seriously and make sure we take steps to limit how much it is able to be passed on in our country.' According to the World Health Organisation, the most common early symptoms of malaria are fever, headache and chills. They typically start within 10 to 15 days of getting bitten by an infected mosquito.
West Australian
3 hours ago
- Health
- West Australian
Two more cases of malaria detected in Queensland, brings infection total to 71
An outbreak of a potentially fatal disease continues in the Sunshine State as authorities race to investigate two more locally acquired cases, bringing the total number of infections this year to 71. Queensland Health confirmed a second locally acquired infection was recently identified in the Torres Strait Islands local government area. Ninety-seven per cent of the cases this year to date have come from overseas, predominantly Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands. It is a major increase in numbers, with 69 infections recorded in the same period in 2024, 50 in 2023, 20 in 2022 and only four in 2021. The presence of floodwaters is believed to be a key reason for the spike. Malaria is preventable and curable, and is not able to be passed from person to person, but rather spread through the bites of some infected Anopheles mosquitoes. 'We don't have mosquitoes capable of passing malaria on all throughout the country, but certainly in the more tropical parts of our country, the Northern Territory and northern parts of Queensland,' Mater Health infectious diseases director Paul Griffin said. 'That's why in those areas we need to give people that advice to make sure we reduce the chance of local transmission. 'With more significant types of malaria, the severe consequences can be involvement of the brain, so cerebral malaria and even death,' he told ABC News. 'It is something that we do need to take seriously and make sure we take steps to limit how much it is able to be passed on in our country.' According to the World Health Organisation, the most common early symptoms of malaria are fever, headache and chills. They typically start within 10 to 15 days of getting bitten by an infected mosquito.
News.com.au
3 hours ago
- Health
- News.com.au
Two more cases of malaria detected in Queensland, brings infection total to 71
An outbreak of a potentially fatal disease continues in the Sunshine State as authorities race to investigate two more locally acquired cases, bringing the total number of infections this year to 71. Queensland Health confirmed a second locally acquired infection was recently identified in the Torres Strait Islands local government area. Ninety-seven per cent of the cases this year to date have come from overseas, predominantly Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands. It is a major increase in numbers, with 69 infections recorded in the same period in 2024, 50 in 2023, 20 in 2022 and only four in 2021. The presence of floodwaters is believed to be a key reason for the spike. Malaria is preventable and curable, and is not able to be passed from person to person, but rather spread through the bites of some infected Anopheles mosquitoes. 'We don't have mosquitoes capable of passing malaria on all throughout the country, but certainly in the more tropical parts of our country, the Northern Territory and northern parts of Queensland,' Mater Health infectious diseases director Paul Griffin said. 'That's why in those areas we need to give people that advice to make sure we reduce the chance of local transmission. 'With more significant types of malaria, the severe consequences can be involvement of the brain, so cerebral malaria and even death,' he told ABC News. 'It is something that we do need to take seriously and make sure we take steps to limit how much it is able to be passed on in our country.' According to the World Health Organisation, the most common early symptoms of malaria are fever, headache and chills. They typically start within 10 to 15 days of getting bitten by an infected mosquito.
ABC News
5 hours ago
- General
- ABC News
Queensland Health investigating second locally acquired malaria case in the Torres Strait Islands
Queensland Health is investigating two cases of locally acquired malaria as the state's total number of infections this year rises to 71. In its latest notifiable conditions report, Queensland Health says a second locally acquired malaria case was recently identified in the Torres Strait Islands local government area. Malaria is a life-threatening disease spread to humans by some types of mosquitoes and is mostly found in tropical countries. Queensland Health said 97 per cent of the cases recorded to date this year had come from overseas, predominantly Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands. The disease, which is preventable and curable, does not spread from person to person but rather through the bites of some infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. Mater Health infectious diseases director Paul Griffin said mosquitoes that carry malaria are found in Australia, which can result in an imported case being a source of transmission to other people. "We don't have mosquitoes capable of passing malaria on all throughout the country, but certainly in the more tropical parts of our country, the Northern Territory and northern parts of Queensland," he said. "That's why in those areas we need to give people that advice to make sure we reduce the chance of local transmission." Professor Griffin said while locally acquired cases are extremely rare, Queensland's public health system is equipped to deal with them. "With more significant types of malaria, the severe consequences can be involvement of the brain, so cerebral malaria and even death," he said. The annual mean number of cases recorded in Queensland in the same period from 2020 to 2024 was 33, compared to 71 to date this year. The Queensland Health websites states limited transmission occasionally happen in the Torres Strait Islands, following importation from PNG. It states that in the past, locally acquired malaria has occurred on the outer islands of the Torres Strait including Saibai, Boigu, Erub and Badu Islands. The last cases acquired on mainland Australia were during an outbreak in north Queensland in 2002, according to Queensland Health. "Malaria used to be something that we had transmitted within Australia, but due to a host of different interventions locally acquired malaria has not been something that we have really dealt with for some 40 odd years," Professor Griffin said. According to the World Health Organization, the most common early symptoms of malaria are fever, headache and chills, which typically start within 10 to 15 days of getting bitten by an infected mosquito.
News.com.au
6 days ago
- General
- News.com.au
‘Serious threat': Fresh Covid warnings as jab rates decline
Covid vaccination rates in Queensland are at their lowest since the jabs were introduced five years ago, with health professionals warning that the virus still poses a 'serious threat' to the community. Fewer than 250,000 Queenslanders have received their free Covid booster this year, prompting urgent calls from doctors to people who have not yet been vaccinated to get the jab. The calls come as new data from the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing revealed that more than 15,000 Covid cases had been reported in Queensland since January, with almost 3000 people hospitalised with the virus. 'We have dropped the ball with Covid-19 vaccinations, but this disease is still very prevalent in the community and poses a serious threat to high-risk patients,' Mater director of infectious diseases Paul Griffin said. 'Particularly for high-risk people, it should now be a once-a-year booster, just like the flu vaccine is, and with winter here next week, now is the time to get vaccinated and it's safe to get them both together. 'There are hundreds of different strains of Omicron, and the new subvariant NB. 1.8.1 is driving up infections and hospitalisations, particularly in Asia and Western Australia. 'The best way to protect yourself and your family is to get the newest booster which provides very good coverage, is safe, and will reduce the severity of your symptoms if you contract Covid-19.' Queensland health providers are dealing with high cases of both flu and RSV, in addition to Covid. More than 2000 Queenslanders have been hospitalised with the flu this year. Cases are up more than 30 per cent from the same time last year, but only a quarter of Queenslanders have been vaccinated. 'We are at our lowest levels of vaccination and protection in five years and with early rises in cases with winter approaching, the impact on our healthcare system could be significant, particularly with high levels of flu and RSV,' Professor Griffin said. The Covid and flu vaccines are free in Queensland and available at most pharmacies and GP clinics, and they are safe to receive at the same time In addition to Covid and the flu, about 12,000 cases of RSV have been reported in Queensland this year, with more than 1500 people hospitalised. 'More than half of these hospitalisations have been for the most vulnerable in our community, babies less than six months and people over 65,' Professor Griffin said. RSV is the leading cause of hospitalisation for babies in Australia, and Queensland recorded the highest number of deaths due to RSV last year. RSV vaccinations are free for pregnant women, with immunity then passed onto babies up until they are six months old.
