Tropical diseases

What is responsible for the extraordinary melioidosis season in Cairns this wet season?

Melioidosis is endemic in Cairns, with the number of cases increasing since 2015 (here and here). This year, however, there has been an extraordinary season, with more than four times the number of cases in Cairns already than in any prior year. One hundred cases of melioidosis have been reported in the Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service from 1 January to 13 April 2025.

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