CAIRNS, Australia (2 Mar 2009) — Health authorities have warned more people could die from the dengue epidemic, after an elderly Manoora woman died shortly after contracting the fever. It is the first dengue-related death in Cairns that Queensland Health has on record. Since the dengue outbreak started in early December, there have been 639 confirmed cases in North Queensland, with 561 in Cairns. The Manoora woman, Kathleen Barry, 82, described by authorities as "frail", died on Sunday night in Cairns Base Hospital after contracting the mosquito-borne disease. Yesterday, still in mourning, Lindsay Barry told The Cairns Post his wife was taken to hospital on Thursday night suffering from dehydration. She had not eaten since Tuesday morning and had started feeling ill the day before, three days after seeing her doctor. He said she showed no signs of having the fever but said she had complained of being tired. Mr Barry said he was very careful in clearing anything that could be a breeding site for mosquitoes. He described his wife as a loving woman that was liked by "anyone who met her". "They called me on Tuesday and night and said: "Did Kath have the fever?"' Mr Barry, 82, said. "And I said not that I know of. "She wasn't flushed either. Kath was elderly." Queensland Health public health physician Dr Jeffrey Hanna said it was difficult to say exactly how much the fever had contributed to Mrs Barry's death, given her age and "multiple underlying medical conditions". He said her death wasn't unexpected because of the size of the epidemic. "There will be further people having to be hospitalised and some of those people will be frail elderly people who might have severe complications and therefore could die," he said. "This is a large epidemic as you are aware. It's taken us just three months to get over 550 cases. "It's not slowing down." Authorities have declared the epidemic the worst case of the disease on record in the Far North. | | Health officials have issued a warning that more people could die in Australia from dengue fever. Dr Hanna said all four strains of dengue had been detected in the Far North, with each strain imported into Australia by travellers infected overseas. The epidemic has also seen outbreaks of dengue type three in Townsville, Port Douglas, Yarrabah and Injinoo. Dr Hanna said elderly frail people, young children, or people with conditions such as cancer, heart disease, kidney disease or medications of high-dose steroids were most at risk of having complications when contracting the fever. Premier Anna Bligh, who arrived in Cairns last night, called for Far Northerners to be cautious and to battle the epidemic. Dr Hanna ruled out quarantining the Far North and said he was not aware of any other people in a critical condition with a dengue-related illness. The Cairns Regional Council has issued two $400 on-the-spot fines for people who have failed to clear mosquito breeding sites. Cairns Mayor Val Schier urged people to dob in their neighbours. "We can stop this if people actually get out into their back yards," she said. by Thomas Chamberlin |
