The Australian state of Queensland's Department of Health announced that 26 people in the state have died from the rare infectious disease melioidosis since the beginning of 2025.
"A patient at a Townsville hospital has become the 26th person to die from melioidosis in Queensland since the beginning of the year," ABC television reported, citing a statement from the department.
Queensland's Department of Health reported that 10 deaths were recorded over the past week following heavy rains and resulting flooding in northern Australia.
Robert Norton, a microbiologist and former doctor at Townsville City Hospital, said melioidosis cases are expected to rise amid record rainfall in the city over the weekend.
"As the rainfall increases, the soil will remain moist, and the soil will retain water for a long time. I'm sure the incidence of the disease will continue to rise as microorganisms rise to the surface of the soil," Norton was quoted as saying by ABC.
Melioidosis is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei. It is found primarily in tropical and subtropical regions, particularly in Southeast Asia and northern Australia. The infection can be transmitted through contaminated soil or water, as well as through wounds on the skin. The risk of infection increases during tropical cyclones and heavy rainfall. In 2024, for example, the Australian state of Queensland recorded 69 cases of the disease, including 7 deaths. There is currently no vaccine for this disease.