Two people have died in far north Queensland after contracting melioidosis, a tropical bacterial infection, prompting a warning from health authorities about a “very big” spike in cases possibly linked to recent heavy rainfall.
Melioidosis is endemic in parts of Queensland and the Northern Territory, where it is often contracted from contaminated soil. It can also be spread via water or the air.
Queensland health data shows that in the first six weeks of 2025, there were 43 recorded cases of the infection – roughly double the number of cases for the same period in recent years.
Most of those have been in Cairns and Townsville.
Dr Jacqueline Murdoch, the director of Tropical Public Health Services in Cairns, said people in high-risk categories – people with diabetes, kidney or lung problems, or undergoing cancer treatment – should be aware of potential symptoms and present to hospital early.
“We’ve had a very big season of melioidosis so far,” Murdoch said. “We have nearly 40 cases [in the Cairns and Hinterland region] since the beginning of the wet season. Sadly that includes two deaths.
“We’ve only really just stated seeing all the effects of the rain.”
Murdoch said it was possible that heavy rainfall last year had brought the bacteria to the soil surface and that ongoing rain was causing it to circulate more. She said many of the recent infections had been contracted from people breathing contaminated air.
“When it’s windy, when there’s been heavy rain, it can circulate in the air and people breathe it in,” Murdoch said.
“Most of the cases that we’re seeing are cases affecting the lungs or people getting really sick with sepsis.”
The Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service says melioidosis can be fatal in up to 20% of treated cases.
“Symptoms of acute melioidosis may include fever, cough and difficulty breathing; the effects can be very severe and often require hospitalisation for antibiotic treatment,” Murdoch said.
“Sometimes the disease presents as superficial skin infections or abscesses in various part of the body. If anyone has noticed non-healing wounds or persistent fevers over several weeks, then they should be seen by their GP and checked for this infection.”
