Australia's Northern Queensland faces mosquito-borne virus threat

Australia's Northern Queensland is facing a growing public health threat as mosquito-borne diseases rise sharply, driven by climate change and rapid urban expansion, according to new research.

The outbreak includes dengue, Ross River virus and Barmah Forest virus, highlighting escalating health risks in the tropical north of the Australian state, James Cook University (JCU) said in a statement on Friday, News.Az reports, citing Xinhua.

National cases of mosquito-borne viruses nearly doubled between 2023 and 2024, with the upward trend continuing into 2025, according to Md. Eram Hosen, a PhD candidate at Associate Professor Subir Sarker’s Tropical One Health Microbial Lab at JCU. The findings were published in the journal Virology.

Hosen attributed the longer transmission seasons to climate change, increased urban breeding sites for mosquitoes and northern Australia’s geographic proximity to Southeast Asia.

In 2024, Queensland recorded 1,701 cases of Ross River virus and 378 dengue infections. The study also noted detections of chikungunya and Japanese encephalitis viruses in the state.

Researchers found that more than 900 unclassified flaviviruses — transmitted by ticks and mosquitoes — have been identified across Australia in recent decades, including over 100 in Queensland alone. The findings suggest significant gaps in virus detection and surveillance.

Associate Professor Subir Sarker said that while Wolbachia-based mosquito control programs have helped reduce dengue transmission, broader viral threats remain. He called for expanded surveillance efforts, including next-generation sequencing technologies and stronger community engagement to curb the spread of emerging mosquito-borne diseases.

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev