World Cup season brings spike in medical samples

Kiwis needn't fear the Northern Hemisphere visitors - they've just come from summer and have less chance of carrying diseases than Kiwis do. Photo / Janna Dixon

Foreign fans are beginning to flood into the country for the Rugby World Cup - and they seem to be having an impact on the health system already.

Clinical microbiologist Dr Mark Jones said in the days after the tournament's opening ceremony on September 9, a record number of medical samples were sent by GPs to laboratories in Wellington for testing.

The medical fraternity had been expecting a rise in the incidents of sexually transmitted diseases and exotic illnesses, and this could be the start of it. Dr Jones said the amount of tests done "was a record-breaker", but more analysis was needed before conclusions could be drawn.

However, the lift in testing posed a "fascinating" scenario for disease experts. An obvious concern was venereal disease rates, and experts "expect to see all these increasing".

But Diagnostic Medlabs chief executive Dr Arthur Morris said New Zealanders needn't fear Northern Hemisphere guests. Many of the visitors had just enjoyed summer and had less chance of carrying many infectious diseases.

"Instead of them posing a risk to us, we may pose a risk to them," he said. Sickly Kiwis with lingering winter ailments could give European visitors a few unwanted souvenirs.

Morris said Southern Hemisphere tourists had similar disease profiles to Kiwis, but some African and Argentine guests could carry mutant variations of influenza. Public health experts would watch for outbreaks in hospitals where there was "potential risk" to patients.

He said the ongoing North Island measles outbreak, the biggest of the decade, was also of concern to the health system and could present some risks to visitors.