A recent outbreak of Melioidosis in flood devastated North Queensland has claimed at least seven lives and with even more cases being reported.
The rare disease has put health authorities on alert as the severity of this current outbreak is higher compared to years gone past.
To find out exactly what is the disease and why its surging, 4ZZZ's Toni Pankaluic spoke with Dr Thomas Jeffries, Senior Lecturer of Microbiology at Western Sydney University.
For a deep dive...
The governments of Northern Territory and Queensland provide useful health fact sheets for Melioidosis. If you wish to learn more about the disease itself then the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is another helpful resource for you to check out.
To follow the latest on the North Queensland flood disaster, this link will provide all the updates on the situation.

Your 11AM Zedlines with Maddy & Frankee
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Your 10AM Zedlines with Maddy & Frankee
Image via: NDIS

Your 9AM Zedlines with Maddy & Frankee
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Your 11am Zedlines update with Ash, Angela and Maddie.

Your 10am Zedlines with Calani and Konrad

Your 9am Zedlines with Angela, Ash and Maddie

Your 8am Zedlines with Calani and Konrad

Your 11AM Zedlines with Liv, Charlie, Annabel and Jasper

Your 8am Zedlines with Liv, Charlie, Annabel and Jasper.

Your 11am Zedlines with Megan, Anastasia, and Sydney

Your 10AM Zedlines with Mario and Aliyah

Your 9am Zedlines with Sydney, Meghan and Anastasia

Your 8am Zedlines with Mario and Aliyah

Your final 11AM Zedlines with the Summer 2026 Friday Zedliners, read by Ava, Ethan and Yuchen (Image via Wikimedia Commons)!

Your 10AM Zedlines with Asha, Dan and Charlie (Image via Wikimedia Commons)

Your 9AM Zedlines with Ava, Ethan and Yuchen (Image via Pexels).

Your 8AM Zedlines with Asha, Charlie and Dan (Image via Flickr).

Your 10AM Zedlines with Sarah, Vivek, Eden and HG
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Your 9AM Zedlines with Alec, Stella, Em, and Vivek
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Your 8AM Zedlines with Sarah, Stella, Alec, and Em
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Your 11AM Zedlines with Georgia and Cass

Your 10AM Zedlines with Cass and Lachlan

Your 9AM Zedlines with Cass and Georgie

Your 8AM Zedlines with Georgie and Lachlan.

Your 11AM Zedlines with Clementine and Livinia

Your 10AM Zedlines with Clementine and Livinia

Your 8AM Zedlines with Clementine and Livinia

Your 11AM Zedlines with Ava, Charlie and Yuchen! (Image via Wikimedia Commons)