Following Tropical Cyclone Narelle, heavy rain, flood and general wet conditions will continue affecting most of Cape York over the coming days.
Residents should be aware of the increased risk of infection if they come into direct contact with polluted waters.
Wound infections, cellulitis (skin infection), conjunctivitis, and ear, nose and throat infections can occur.
All wounds should be immediately cleaned, disinfected, and kept covered.
You should consider avoiding flood water and mud if you have broken skin or wounds, especially if you have diabetes or other chronic diseases.
It is advisable to check that you are up to date with your tetanus vaccination.
See a health professional or your doctor early for severe wounds, especially if the wound is dirty or becomes red, sore, swollen or painful.
Floods may also increase the risk of diarrhoeal conditions and bacterial diseases such as leptospirosis and melioidosis.
Melioidosis is generally seasonal in nature and is caused by a bacterium normally found deep in soil.
Cases often occur during the wet season (December to May) after heavy rain or flooding in northern Australia, when the rising water table can bring the bacteria to the surface.
Melioidosis is very uncommon in healthy adults and rarely seen in children.
People most at risk of becoming sick include those with long-term health conditions such as diabetes, cancer, chronic lung and kidney diseases, or those who consume heavy amounts of alcohol.
To minimise health risks, do not swim in floodwater and ensure that you and your children keep away from stormwater drains and creeks.
And avoid wading even in shallow water, as it may be contaminated – if you must enter shallow flood water, wear solid boots or shoes for protection.
People cleaning up flood-affected areas should wear sunscreen, insect repellent, boots, gloves and a hat, drink plenty of water and clean and cover wounds.
A face mask also can help protect people from infections, particularly if using a pressure washer.
Frequent washing of hands is essential.
Always wash your hands with soap and water before handling food, and after handling pets that may have swum in contaminated water.
Maintaining food safety after an emergency also was important, especially if power had been cut or food had been in contact with contaminated floodwater, Dr Pedgrift said.
Eating food that has not been refrigerated for some time can lead to gastrointestinal illnesses which can be serious.
After an emergency, it is recommended that you dispose of:
- Food, liquids or medicines that have been in contact with floodwater
- food that has an unusual odour, colour or texture
- refrigerated food that has been left unrefrigerated or above 5°C for more than four hours
- frozen food after 48 hours (if the freezer is full) or after 24 hours (if the freezer is only half full). If frozen food has partially thawed, the food should be eaten as soon as possible
- canned food where the can is open, swollen or damaged, or has a missing or damaged label
- food containers with screw or twist caps, snap-lids, crimped caps (soft drink bottles) and flip tops.
Carbon monoxide poisoning also is a real risk for people near a petrol-powered generator or pump if these were used in an enclosed area.
Make sure generators and pumps are situated in well-ventilated areas, preferably outside.
For details on recovery please visit disasters | Emergency services and safety. You can also find out about bacterial infections on the Queensland Government website.