14-05-2025
Melioidosis death toll hits 31 with latest fatality in Townsville
Another person has died from soil-borne disease melioidosis in Queensland, bringing this year's death toll from the disease to 31.
The latest Queensland Health figures show one person in Townsville has died from the infection in the past week.
There have also been four new melioidosis cases reported in the same period.
Three of those cases were around Cairns and the other was in the Townsville region. Townsville Public Health Unit director Steven Donahue said the latest death illustrated how serious the illness could be.
"As you can imagine, this is concerning," Dr Donahue said.
The elderly, heavy drinkers, and those with chronic health conditions are most at risk.
Melioidosis is a rare disease caused by bacteria found in soil and water in northern Australia and South-East Asia.
The bacteria enters the body through cuts or inhalation, so cases soared after record-breaking flooding.
Queensland Health said it had received 221 melioidosis notifications this year, which experts have described as a significant of the cases have been in Cairns and Townsville, including a cluster in Townsville's northern suburbs.
Symptoms include fever and coughing, which can be mistaken for other illnesses, and the disease can develop into fatal sepsis.
Dr Donahue said reports of new cases had died down significantly as the weather dried up.
"So far as we can see, the outbreak that we've had this year is probably over," he said.
The number of cases has soared since flooding, as people cleaned up after the floods and came into contact with the bacteria.
Health authorities have continued to urge people to cover up when working outside.
There is also a theory that more than a decade of construction works on the Bruce Highway has stirred up clay-like soil believed to harbour the bacteria.
The Queensland government has said that stringent environmental protection protocols reduced the risk of soil-borne diseases leaving worksites.
Dr Donahue said there was a range of reasons for the outbreak.
"It's entirely plausible that a number of the cases in the south of Cairns, near the Bruce Highway upgrade may be linked to that, but of course there are a number of factors," he said.
"We know that melioidosis tends to affect older people, and those with immune problems, or diseases like diabetes, kidney disease, as well as people's behaviour.
"There are a number of things going on."
