Health by Dan Knowles
Premium Content  Queensland is sitting on a skin cancer time bomb with more than half of adults and nearly as many children being sunburned in frightening figures that show the state has forgotten the slip, slop, slap message. In a shocking report card, Queensland Health data shows 49 per cent of adults and 45 per cent of children were sunburnt in the past 12 months. That s nearly 2.4 million people suffering serious sun damage, with almost 10 per cent being scorched so badly they had blistering burns. But even more worrying for cancer experts is the finding that 32 per cent, or nearly a third of Queensland children, had been burnt five or more times - enough to increase the risk of melanoma three-fold.
Despite this, beaches are packed and experts are growing concerned.
As thousands flock to the NSW coastline to enjoy a day in sun, the Bureau of Meteorology s UV index shows levels well into the extreme category.
Originally developed in Canada, the UV index is a system designed to tell us how much radiation from the sun is reaching us on earth.
The spaced out crowd watches on during day five of the Third Test match in the series between Australia and India at Sydney Cricket Ground.(Getty)
Once the UV index reaches three, people with fair skin are in danger of getting burnt.