Cases of gastro-enteritis illnesses, such as campylobacter and salmonella, are increasing rapidly in the Auckland region.
The Auckland Regional Public Health Service (ARPHS) is currently being notified of more than 100 cases per week in the region.
While numbers often spike in summer, campylobacter numbers have more than doubled in just two weeks, ARPHS said in a statement.
Both campylobacter and salmonella are most commonly caused by contaminated food and water and thrive in warmer temperatures.
About half of all cases of campylobacter are linked to chickens.
Symptoms can include stomach cramps, diarrhoea and vomiting which can last for a week or longer. Around 500 people are hospitalised each year as a result of the infection.
While the vast majority of cases recover in full, in rare instances the infection can lead to Guillain-Barre syndrome - a disorder in which the body's immune system attacks its nerves, sometimes resulting in permanent paralysis.
New Zealand has one of the highest rates of campylobacter infection in the world, with 6000 to 7000 people diagnosed each year according to the national notifiable disease surveillance database, EpiSurv.
It's estimated thousands more people are infected but do not seek medical help.
Dr Jay Harrower from ARPHS said following good food preparation practices could help reduce the risk of contracting gastro-enteritis illnesses.
"Most importantly chill, prepare and cover poultry properly: store it in containers, keep it chilled, defrost it thoroughly, keep it separate, cook it fully and wash your hands regularly when preparing it."
It was particularly important not to wash raw chicken - a common mistake which Dr Harrower said was "a recipe for spreading and spraying the nasty bugs".
While most gastro-enteritis illnesses are contracted when people ingest contaminated food, they can also occur when people swim in contaminated water.
ARPHS recommends members of the public check the [www.safeswim.org.nz Safeswim website] before heading to the beach, to ensure it's safe to take a dip.
NZ Food Safety's top tips to reduce the risk of contracting a gastro-enteritis illness
- Keep raw meat and poultry covered, and store it away from ready-to-eat food, fruit, and vegetables.
- Store raw meat at the bottom of the fridge to stop leaking juices - which can contain live bacteria - dripping onto other foods.
- Store meat in containers to catch any juices and save unnecessary cleaning up.
- Wash hands with soap and hot water before and after handling raw meat.
- Use a separate chopping board for raw meat.
- Completely defrost meat before cooking to make sure it cooks evenly. Ensure raw meat juices do not drip onto other foods.
- Do not wash meat before cooking. Washing creates puddles and sprays that spread bacteria around the kitchen.
- Cook meat, especially poultry, thoroughly until juices run clear.
- Never return cooked meat to the dish or board that held raw meat.
- Do not serve with utensils used on raw meat.
* For more information on campylobacter visit [www.arphs.health.nz/public-health-topics/disease-and-illness/campylobacter/ the ARPHS website].
RNZ
