Mould, flood damage, and a potentially deadly disease lurking in the soil.
Sodden north Queensland locals already have plenty to think about as they clean up from record rainfall that triggered widespread flooding, leaving two people dead.
But another potential threat looms with a tropical cyclone a chance of impacting the Queensland coast in the coming days.
Serious health fears have also been raised in the north as locals try to recover from weeks of wet weather.
Three people have died in Townsville from a bacterial infection linked with heavy rain since floods hit the region in February.
Two others died from melioidosis in Townsville in January, with another four deaths and more than 40 cases recorded further north in Cairns to date in 2025.
Locals have been asked to cover up and wear protective clothing as they clean up, with the wet season disease spread through contact with contaminated water, soil, and air.
Five cases of mosquito-borne dengue virus have also been identified in two Townsville clusters.
Mould is set to pose another health issue with infestations in households across the north since the wet weather, exacerbating asthma, and allergies.
“Breathing in mould can irritate a person’s airways or trigger an allergic response,” Asthma Australia chief executive Kate Miranda said.
“Both types of reactions can lead to an asthma attack. Mould can also cause a range of other health problems if sensitive or allergic to it.”
Black mould may pose a problem for flood-hit residents tempted to retrieve sodden belongings, with the fungus set to thrive in the humid north causing sneezing, coughing, congestion, and eye irritation.
It can also worsen asthma symptoms—and potentially cause serious illness or death.
And northern Queenslanders may be tested further with a tropical low off the sodden coast considered a high chance of becoming a cyclone.
It is a “moderate” chance of developing in the Coral Sea on Feb. 22, increasing to “high” by Feb. 24.
In the coming days it may move east towards New Caledonia and Vanuatu—or move south toward the Queensland coast.
Authorities are keeping their fingers crossed they avoid a cyclone amid fears more heavy rain may lead to another melioidosis spike.
