A widespread typhoid outbreak in Auckland has health professionals calling for vigilance.
The disease has hospitalised 10 people so far, from Mt Roskill, Blockhouse Bay, and Manurewa. An 11th person may have the disease, Auckland Regional Public Health Service (ARPHS) said overnight.
The cases appear linked, with ARPHS saying they appear to have been contracted from a "common source". The agency is presently aiming to implement "protective measures to limit any further spread of typhoid within Auckland's Pacific community".
Symptoms include headaches, muscle weakness, and stomach pain. Microbiologist Dr Siouxsie Wiles says it's possible to contract the disease, but show no signs of having it for up to 60 days.
"Some people can also become what we call chronic carriers - so they could have no symptoms at all, but still be shedding the bacteria."
ARPHS says typhoid is a "very serious disease", and usually treated with fluid replacement and antibiotics.
"For someone who has symptoms, they will be high fever for quite a long time, but also things like nausea, feeling real unwell, having a headache," says Dr Wiles.
"People are infectious from before they have symptoms up to sometimes several months after they've had the disease."
She says it shows the value of basic hygiene.
"It's a bacterial disease and people end up shedding the bacteria in their poop. It can be transmitted from person to person… this is why it's very important to wash your hands after you've been to the toilet."
ARPHS will provide another update on Monday.
Newshub.
