Typhoid outbreak: Number of cases rises to 16

The number of typhoid cases is continuing to rise. Photo/File

Sixteen cases of typhoid have been confirmed in Auckland with two probable cases being investigated.

The Auckland Regional Public Health Service (ARPHS) today confirmed there were 12 people in hospital because some patients had been discharged.

So far all the cases had been linked to one church community in Mount Roskill.

An Auckland woman who died from typhoid last week attended a church group that met at a local primary school for services.

Today, the head of Wesley Primary School reassured the public that students were not at risk.

Principal Brenda Martin said: "We have just learnt that the woman tragically lost to typhoid was a member of the Samoan Assembly of God [church] that meets in our school hall at weekends.

"I must emphasise the advice from Auckland Regional Public Health Service that there is almost no risk that this has spread any further and school will be open as usual tomorrow.

"The well-being of our students is our top priority and we'll keep you informed of any new developments.''

Martin said the school only confirmed the woman had been part of the church group that met at the school today.

It came after members of the ARPHS told the school that was not the case and that she had been with another church group.

News that the woman was part of this particular church community comes after the ARPHS on Tuesday announced the woman was a member of the Mt Roskill Samoan Assembly of God Church.

This has caused some confusion among the local and wider community, as well as the Samoan community, as there are several Samoan Assembly of God church branches within the Mt Roskill area.

The public health service has now confirmed the location where the church met and was continuing to work with the church community by engaging with those infected, their contacts and church leaders.

People with the greatest clinical risk and greatest risk of exposure were being prioritised.

The service said typhoid was only spread by eating food or drinking water that was contaminated with faeces or urine from a person who had the illness, or who may be a carrier of the bacteria.

Casual social contact, such as visiting a person in hospital and hugging and kissing them, is not a significant risk to people.

Once people were being treated in hospital, the risk of them spreading the disease was minimised. It could take a number of days of monitoring before they were fully cleared by public health. Once cleared there was no risk of them spreading the disease.

The usual incubation period for typhoid was eight to 14 days, so people who became unwell in the past week could not have contracted the disease by visiting a person associated with the outbreak in hospital.

People who have concerns should visit their GP, or call Healthline on 0800 611 166.