Public Health Follow-up of Typhoid Case

MEDIA RELEASE 13 May 2011

Public Health Follow-up of Typhoid Case

Toi Te Ora – Public Health Service, the public health service for the Bay of Plenty region, has been notified of a case of typhoid.

“The person affected had very recently arrived from overseas and it does not appear that the illness was acquired in New Zealand,” says Dr Neil de Wet, Medical Officer of Health. “This is a single, isolated case acquired overseas and there are no other current cases reported in the Bay of Plenty.”

Looking at the data for the last 10 years and for the whole of New Zealand there have been between 20 to 40 cases of typhoid reported each year. Typically, as in this case, these are in individuals returning from overseas or their close household contacts.

“Public Health has followed up close contacts of this case and no-one else has been found to be infected or unwell, although more test results are awaited,” says Dr de Wet. “Because New Zealand has good sanitation standards spread in the wider community is not likely.”

However, as this case worked as a kiwifruit picker, Toi Te Ora – Public Health Service has been working with MAF and Zespri and as a result, all fruit that may have been handled by the person has been traced and contained.

Toi Te Ora – Public Health Service has been working closely with Food Safety officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and with Zespri. Public Health will continue to monitor the situation and is satisfied that all necessary measures have been taken.

ENDS

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