Cyclone Debbie victims warned to expect diseased, blood-sucking mosquito plague

After ex-Cyclone Debbie tore through the northern parts of Queensland and tourist islands at the end of March, residents and guests were being warned on Tuesday to expect a new threat - mosquitoes.

The local council on the Whitsunday Islands has issued an alert regarding an incoming plague of mosquitoes, with concerns they may be infected with tropical diseases.

The cyclone, which rampaged through the Queensland coastline, has created near-perfect breeding conditions for the vampire-like pests, with residents urged to be vigilant about the possibility of contracting illnesses.

These include the potentially deadly Dengue Fever, or the Ross River virus, already a problem in Australia with 460 people infected in the first six weeks of this year.

Mosquitoes thrive in conditions created after cyclones, especially when flooding results, as the larvae are spawned in flood waters and subsequent debris left behind in the wake of the damage. Endit