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Dengue Fever Death in Torres Strait

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A Torres Strait Island woman has died of dengue fever shock syndrome in far north Queensland. This death is the first of its kind since 1905.

A Torres Strait Island woman has died of dengue fever shock syndrome in far north Queensland. This death is the first of its kind since 1905.A spokeswoman from the Queensland Tropical Public Health Unit says the 40-year-old woman showed symptoms of dengue fever at the weekend and became critically ill yesterday.She was being transferred from Thursday Island Hospital to Cairns Base Hospital when she died from severe reactive shock to the disease.There have been 214 reported cases of dengue fever since the Torres Strait Island outbreak began last November.A public education program is run on the Islands by the Queensland Government. The program educates residents on how to prevent contraction of the fever and how to prevent it from spreading.But as recently as three weeks ago, the Torres Strait Regional Authority called for more Government assistance to combat the disease. As there have been 214 cases reported since November perhaps this fatality, the states first in almost 100 years, may provide the government with the impetus to act.(Source: ABC Health News, Feb 2004)Article by S.Tysoe


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Dates

Posted On: 12 February, 2004
Modified On: 5 December, 2013


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