11th case of typhoid confirmed in Auckland

11th case of typhoid confirmed in Auckland

Another suspected case of typhoid has been confirmed bringing the total number of cases in Auckland to 11.

That person has also been hospitalised. Auckland Regional Public Health Service (ARPHS) Clinical Director Dr Julia Peters says the cases are all linked and are members of a Pacific church community in Auckland.

ARPHS is following up with 60 contacts of the group.

"It is a localised outbreak," says Dr Peters. "Knowing that the cases are connected as gives us a clear direction but this is still a serious situation and we are following up other connections."

Auckland gets around 30 cases of typhoid a year but they are usually individual cases where someone has been infected overseas.

"This is a local outbreak and at this stage we do not know how or when it got into Auckland."

Dr Peters says ARPHS is trying to find the source but it is not always possible to identify the source as some people can carry the disease for some time without passing it on.

Dr Peters says typhoid is spread primarily through food and water but can be spread person to person. Good basic hand-washing is one of the best means of protecting yourself.

Symptoms include a high fever developing over several days, headaches, general weakness and muscle aches. Stomach pain and constipation are also common but some people get diarrhoea.

Typhoid is a serious illness and is potentially fatal but it can be treated with antibiotics.

Dr Peters urges anyone with those symptoms feeling very unwell to see their doctor or an after-hours clinic, or call Healthline on 0800 611 116.

ENDS

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