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FEBRUARY 07, 2025
Health alert: measles l CAIRNS REGION AN alert for highly-contagious measles has been issued for people who visited several locations at certain times late last month. A Tropical Public Health Services spokesman said the locations posed no ongoing risk, but people who were at those places at the following days and times should be aware of measles symptoms. “Measles is a highly infectious and serious viral infection,” he said. The locations and times are: • Friday, January 24 2025. Flight Darwin to Cairns. Flight number TL160 (Air North) 7.30am-11.30am, Cairns Airport domestic terminal arrivals 11.30amnoon, multiple venues including The Woolshed Cairns, Dirty Laundry, Gilligan’s 7.30pm-2am • Saturday, January 25. Southside Paintball, Gordonvale 11.40am-2.30pm, multiple venues including The Woolshed Cairns, Dirty Laundry, Gilligan’s 7.30pm-3am • Sunday, January 26. Cairns Kart Hire, Smithfield 10.40am-12.10pm, Salthouse Cairns 7pm- 9pm, Pier Bar 9pm-10pm. CONTINUED PAGE 2
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Act of bravery Young man risks life to save children in flooded drain l EARLVILLE | Nick Dalton
Deon Whitford, 20, who didn’t hesitate to jump into a flooded drain behind Earlville Shopping Town, to help save two young girls from drowning. Picture: Nick Dalton
A 20-year-old Manoora man, who risked his life to save two children caught in a fast-moving flooded drain at Earlville, has been described as a hero and will be nominated for a national bravery award. Deon Whitford didn’t hesitate to swing into action last Sunday about 3.20pm at the Earlville Shopping Town rear car park when there was a cry for help. The general-purpose hand was sitting in his ute when a young boy, about 9, frantically knocked on his window, saying there were two girls, aged about 7 and 9, caught in floodwaters in the nearby drain. Mr Whitford raced alongside the drain and saw the girls screaming ‘help’ in the rapids. He said he could see they were in big trouble as about 250m downstream the drain disappeared under the car park. “I yelled at the girls to swim upstream. I could see it in their eyes that they were petrified … they were screaming for help before one disappeared into the tubes,” Mr Whitford said. The former Cairns State High School student said he raced over the other side. “I waited until they emerged … there was just one (the other had already been rescued),” he said. “I jumped in, it was waist deep but the current was strong. I reached out to her and she grabbed my hand and I pulled her out of the water.” A passerby had rescued the other girl before she was swept under the car park. The Tailored Marine Solutions (TMS) employee said he wasn’t thinking about his safety. CONTINUED PAGE 3
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