Flesh-eating bug cases soar amid warning about terrifying condition
Share:
Cases of a flesh-eating bug are soaring as a stark warning has been given about the condition. Known as Buruli ulcer, a flesh-eating bacteria is spreading rapidly through a suburb in Melbourne, Australia, prompting warnings from the chief health officer to take protective measures.
The bug has been known to occur in Australia since the 1940s, and now Victoria's chief health officer, Prof Ben Cowie, has warned the community about the risk of infection after a recent increase in cases linked to the Melbourne suburb of Ascot Vale, in Melbourne's north.
Prof Cowie stated that "cases remained high" across the state, according to The Guardian. “The disease is spreading geographically across Victoria and is no longer restricted to specific coastal locations,” he shared in a health advisory. As of December 17, there have been 344 cases notified so far in 2024, compared with the same period in 2023 (362 cases).
The state's health department has said that those affected usually develop a painful lump or wound, which can initially be mistaken for an insect bite. Over time this then changes slowly into a destructive skin ulcer. Prof Cowie shared that everyone is susceptible to infection, but Buruli ulcer notifications were highest in people aged over 60-years-old. “Prompt treatment can significantly reduce skin loss and tissue damage, and avoid the need for more intensive treatment,” he said.
