Flood-weary Queenslanders are facing further weather-related threats, a pesky insect and a quick-spreading fungi.
Recovery efforts are under way in towns north of Brisbane after a 24-hour downpour led to serious flooding, while Queensland's far north is still repairing the damage from cyclones Jasper and Kirrily.
Now there are two more threats - mosquitoes and mould.
“A lot of rain and flooding increases the potential for mosquito breeding,” Cairns health expert Richard Gair told AAP.
Heavy rain and flooding have made these breeding grounds more prevalent in fresh, salty and flood waters, and in puddles and small containers.
Dr Gair said he has already seen a rise in mosquitoes in the state's north and residents in the southeast could too as the floodwaters subside.
"The combination of warm weather and increasing numbers of mosquitoes because there’s more breeding sites, increases the risk of mosquito-borne diseases," he said.
Viruses like Ross River and Barmah Forest are the most common with symptoms including fever, headache, joint swelling and rash, but both can be recovered from within a few weeks or months.
Dr Gair recommends avoiding going out during dawn and dusk unless wearing mosquito repellent and long shirts and pants to avoid bites, emptying water-filled containers and installing fly screens.
It’s not just the pesky and potentially dangerous mosquitoes that are a risk after flood events, with humidity and wet weather also increasing the occurrence of mould.
Far North Queensland mould removal company Rapid Restorations said there has been a substantial increase in calls to help kill the fungi since the cyclones brought the deluges and flood.
The company is currently working on 280 jobs across Townsville, Cairns, the Gold Coast and Brisbane.
"In the wake of recent floods and escalating humidity levels, the issue of mould infestation in buildings has become a critical concern," the company's owner Matthew Pluples said.
Mould researcher Ipek Kurtboke said mould can cause a plethora of health problems including allergies, asthma and lung infections, and is particularly dangerous for people with compromised immunity.
"Micro-organisms are ubiquitous and cannot be stopped," she said.
"When (people) are cleaning, they shouldn’t disturb mouldy furniture as all the spores come up in a cloud and spread say from the lounge to the bedroom and it's very difficult to get rid of."
If residents see mould beginning to develop in the home or furniture after floods they should contact a professional, Dr Kurtboke said.
