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Flu figures have hit a three-year high as wet weather extends the virus season.
Schoolchildren have been particularly hard hit as rain forces them to stay indoors. Schools in Marlborough and Porirua have been blitzed by the virus, with large numbers of children absent.
Further north, Auckland Regional Public Health Service medical officer Craig Thornley said his office was aware of above-average levels of sickness, some schools reporting a 100 per cent rise in students off sick.
"It's likely that kids are spending more time inside, so there's more chance of transmission between them, and just some seasonal change in the types of viruses that seem to be going around," said Thornley.
Latest flu figures from Environmental Science and Research show type B influenza as the most common strain from August 11-15.
Eastern Bay of Plenty had experienced epidemic levels of the bug that week with more than 550 in every 100,000 people seeing doctors, while south Canterbury had the second-highest rates.
Auckland Public Health advises parents and pupils to stay home if sick, cover their coughs and wash their hands often to help stop the transmission of viruses. Parents should take children to a GP if they had difficulty breathing, chest pain, or severe vomiting.
