Investigation as typhoid outbreak toll hits 11 in New Zealand's biggest city

An 11th person has been taken to hospital with typhoid in New Zealand's biggest city as a probe into the outbreak of the potentially deadly disease continues, the health authorities said Monday.

The cases were all linked and were members of a Pacific island church community in Auckland, said Auckland Regional Public Health Service (ARPHS) clinical director Dr Julia Peters.

ARPHS was following up with 60 people who had been in contact with the patients, Peters said in a statement.

"It is a localized outbreak," said Peters.

"Knowing that the cases are connected as gives us a clear direction but this is still a serious situation and we are following up other connections."

Auckland recorded about 30 cases of typhoid a year, but they were usually individual cases where someone had been infected overseas.

"This is a local outbreak and at this stage we do not know how or when it got into Auckland," said Peters.

ARPHS was trying to find the source, but it was not always possible to identify the source as some people could carry the disease for some time without passing it on.

Typhoid was spread primarily through food and water, but could be spread from person to person.

Symptoms included a high fever developing over several days, headaches, general weakness and muscle aches.

Stomach pain and constipation were also common, but some people got diarrhea.

Typhoid was potentially fatal, but could be treated with antibiotics. Endit