Qld: Dengue outbreak spreads to the north
By David Barbeler24 Feb 2009 7:05 PM
BRISBANE, Feb 24 AAP - North Queensland's dengue fever epidemic has spread north to the small Aboriginal community of Injinoo.
A single case has been reported in the community at the tip of the Cape York Peninsula, just south of Thursday Island.
The case takes the total from the outbreak to 523.
The jump north is a worrying sign for health authorities, which had previously managed to confine it to areas around Cairns and Townsville.
It's the second blow for authorities in as many weeks, following the emergence of the Type 2 dengue fever strain last week.
The discovery of the Type 2 strain put health experts on high alert, as contracting more than one of the three strains increases the chances of death.
With the number of dengue cases on the rise in Cairns and Townsville, health experts sent a mosquito control team to Thursday Island last week.
The island was home to the last recorded Queensland fatality from dengue in February 2004. It was the first dengue death in the state in about 100 years.
The team went to the island because people regularly travel between there and Cairns and Townsville.
Cairns has been the worst hit with 451 reported cases.
