Wellington cryptosporidiosis outbreak: High number of cases still being reported
As of the beginning of May, there have been 81 confirmed cryptosporidium cases in the Greater Wellington Region, with the majority of these being reported after the outbreak began in mid-March.
'This number is around twice the number of cases for the same time period last year, with around two thirds of cases residing in the Hutt Valley area,' Thornley said.
'The number of cases reported each week is steady, with only three new cases reported in the last week. Initially, a majority of cases were associated with swimming pool use, however, recent cases are more likely to be from close contact with an infected person.'
Health NZ will continue to liaise with swimming pools or early childhood education centres that may be associated with a case in a bid to limit further spread of the infection.
'Crypto is a gastro bug that causes vomiting and diarrhoea, and people can remain infectious for up to two weeks, which is why good hygiene and cleaning practices are important. People who have been unwell must not swim for two weeks afterdiarrhoea has stopped – crypto can still spread for two weeks after the illness has gone away.
'Children can return to preschool once symptom-free for 48 hours with a focus on promoting good hand washing and drying.'
Details about specific precautions and advice can be found in the Crypto Factsheet and by Health New Zealand Recreational Water Safety.
Lower Hutt woman Sarah, who is only being referred to by her first name, earlier said her husband and 1-year-old son caught the bug and were so violently ill 'I nearly called an ambulance'.
'[My husband] was on the toilet at 2am screaming for me to go get a bucket,' she told the Herald.
'I ran down to get a bucket and came back and he'd passed out from overheating, pretty much, but it was almost like a seizure. His eyes were open and he was leaning back.
'I freaked and went to get my phone to call an [ambulance] and slapped him and he came to.'
She said his body temperature was extremely high and he was sweaty, shaking and could not keep any water down.
'Anything he took came straight back out. He was also getting super-intense stomach cramps, it was incredibly painful for him.'
She joked the experience was an example of 'through sickness and health, pretty much'.
Meanwhile, her toddler was 'vomiting and sh***ing left, right and centre'.
He was 'really hard to wake', but was 'happy enough' when he was conscious.
Sarah said the bug was 'brutal'.
Health officials have confirmed cryptosporidiosis cases were connected to the toddler pool at Te Ngaengae and the hydrotherapy pool at Huia.
In response, Hutt City Council closed and disinfected both pools using high doses of chlorine and ultraviolet light in accordance with public health guidelines.
'As soon as we were made aware, we took immediate action,' read a statement at the time from Hutt City Pools + Fitness.
'Both pools were closed and underwent an intensive treatment process … There is no indication there had been further cases from the complex.'
As a further precaution, several pools were drained and refilled.
Council's head of aquatics, Iain Brown, said while they didn't have complete data, it appeared general attendance at pools was down about 15% in the weeks following the initial outbreak, though this has since recovered.
'We have done everything required by Public Health to keep our pools free from crypto and have worked effectively to keep the public informed about the issue.
'Pools are not the source of crypto outbreaks. It is introduced by pool users who carry the gastro bug. This can happen unwittingly as people suffering from crypto can still be infectious up to two weeks following recovery.'
Health recommendations include:
Soap and water instead of hand sanitiser, which does not kill the parasite.
Close monitoring of tamariki hand washing, especially after illness.
Cleaning with hot, soapy water before applying disinfectants like bleach, as crypto is resistant to many cleaners.
Strict pool hygiene rules, including ensuring children shower and use the toilet before swimming, and avoiding pools for two weeks post-illness.
The parasite cryptosporidium can cause vomiting, cramping and diarrhoea, and is not easily detected in regular pool-water testing.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NZ Herald
31 minutes ago
- NZ Herald
Waikato med school business case beats Auckland and Otago
Option 2 was a specialist medical training programme focused on rural health run by those two universities and was estimated to cost $10.2b, while option 3, the new medical school at Waikato, was estimated to cost $9.1b, making it the cheapest overall – although the University of Auckland has criticised the assumptions behind this costing. Director-General of Health Dr Diana Sarfati and University of Waikato vice-chancellor Professor Neil Quigley, watched by Health Minister at the time, Shane Reti, and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, signing the Memorandum of Understanding for a third medical school in 2024. Photo / Mark Mitchell The Waikato medical school was also estimated to deliver greater benefits, leading to a benefit-cost ratio of 1.99, meaning each dollar spent on the school produced $1.99 in benefit. Option 1 and 2 had a ratio of 1.5 and 1.8 – placing them only narrowly behind Waikato. Health Minister Simeon Brown told the Herald the school was a 'game-changer for the long-term growth of our medical workforce in New Zealand'. 'Cabinet agreed to this proposal following the Ministry of Health undertaking a business case and a cost-benefit analysis which demonstrated this proposal would be the most effective at building this critical health workforce for New Zealand,' he said. The University of Auckland's Dean of Medical and Health Sciences Professor Warwick Bagg told the Herald he was 'deeply concerned' by the business case, which seemed to have a predetermined outcome: to favour the Waikato medical school the National Party took to the last election. He said the assumptions of the report were flawed. The capital cost for the new school at Waikato of $232 million was far greater than the other two options, which had costs of $49m and $81.5m respectively. The ongoing operational costs racked up over the years 2026 to 2042 were higher for the first two options, at $513.6m and $508m compared with $361.6m at Waikato. Bagg said this modelling made unfair and inaccurate assumptions about the existing two medical schools that put them at a disadvantage. For example, the business case said that it is 'more certain that Option 3, the Waikato school, has a lower operating cost … simply due to it being a shorter programme'. While it is correct that the Waikato Medical School is a shorter programme, tailored to just graduates, the students admitted the school will still have to offer an undergraduate programme somewhere, probably in New Zealand, which the Government will have to subsidise. Bagg said the cost of turning Waikato's students into graduates who can be admitted into the school isn't reflected in the business case. Lifting those costs out of the business case made Waikato look better overall. 'They are focused on the four-year graduate programme … they haven't focused on the three years that they'll have to do to get into that medical school,' he said. He said another way the high capital costs for Waikato have been 'offset' is the business case has found 'more benefits for the Waikato medical school'. The business case is particularly reliant on the assumption that far more Waikato graduates will go on to be GPs – and GPs who work rurally – than graduates of other schools. The business case found increasing capacity at the existing medical schools would result in just 23% of those graduates staying on to become GPs, while the joint rural training programme would result in 33% of its graduates becoming GPs. In the Waikato medical school's case, 38% of its graduates would become GPs. The business case notes that having a higher number of GPs in the community increases people's health. The fact the Waikato school provides the greatest number of GPs therefore weighs heavily in its favour. Benefits and costs of the three options analysed. Table / Ministry of Health Bagg said Sapere, who provided cost-benefit analysis for the business case, 'haven't used the data we provided them' to calculate the GP figure for the option of increasing capacity at Auckland And Otago. He said 'about 35%' of graduates from Auckland and Otago medical schools are working as GPs eight years after graduating – a far higher figure than the 23% quoted in the business case. He said this lower figure came from a survey of graduates' intentions when they graduated, not what they actually ended up doing. 'We told Sapere this assumption was incorrect,' he said. The assumptions for the number of GPs graduating from Waikato were based on figures from Australia's University of Wollongong Graduate School of Medicine, which will be a model for the Waikato school. Brown defended the modelling behind the business case. He said the school will 'offer a post-graduate medical qualification based on similar successful programmes in Australia'. 'These programmes include a year-long primary care placement and encourage students to work in primary care settings following graduation. The selection criteria of students alongside their long-term placements in primary care will both support a higher degree of these medical students to work in primary care after graduation,' he said. No expectation of ratepayer funding for med school – Brown Brown poured cold water on concerns councils could be asked to stump up for the new school. Brown's Cabinet paper suggested territorial authorities – local councils – are being lined up for a contribution to the school. A paragraph from the Cabinet paper progressing the school, which will be joint-funded by the Crown, the university and philanthropists, noted, '[t]he University of Waikato has identified $151.859 million which they will ... contribute towards the new medical school costs'. 'This contribution shows significant support for a new medical school from a range of stakeholders from private trusts and foundations, individuals, and territorial authorities'. But Brown told the Herald, 'as Minister of Health, I have no expectation that councils will financially contribute to the new Waikato Medical School'. University of Waikato vice-chancellor Neil Quigley told the Herald earlier this week about half of the university's $150m share of the school could come from donations. 'At the moment, we're well on the way to the 50% of donations just with a relatively small number of large trusts and very wealthy individuals so we don't see that as particularly challenging,' he said. Brown defends information release Labour's health spokeswoman Ayesha Verrall called for the business case to be published on Monday to show the assumptions underlying Cabinet's decision to proceed with the school. 'Treasury has raised concerns about this project. Decisions about the future of NZ's medical workforce are critical and must be transparent. The Government needs to release the costings quickly,' Verrall said. The business case was published by the Ministry of Health about 6pm on Friday, a time often associated with the Government trying to bury information because people are enjoying their weekend. Brown defended the timing of the release, saying: 'Cabinet made the decision to progress with the third medical school on Monday with officials tasked with preparing material for proactive release following this decision. 'Normally Cabinet decisions and supporting information are required to be proactively released 30 days following a decision, however due to the significant interest in this decision, this was sped up to ensure the information could be made available as quickly as possible.'
RNZ News
18 hours ago
- RNZ News
Government removes barrier in bid to increase counsellors in public mental health workforce
Previously, counsellors were excluded from publicly funded roles due to a lack of formal regulation. Photo: 123rf A barrier preventing hundreds of counsellors from working in publicly funded mental health services has been removed. Health New Zealand, in partnership with the New Zealand Association of Counsellors (NZAC), has finalised a strengthened accreditation pathway. Previously, counsellors were excluded from publicly funded roles due to a lack of formal regulation. Health NZ, alongside the largest counselling membership and accredited professional body, NZAC, worked on one recognised and robust accreditation pathway. Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey said it is a "common-sense step" that unlocks existing workforce capacity at a time of high demand. "I've been clear from day one, workforce shortages are one of the key barriers to delivering timely mental health support for New Zealanders in their time of need," Doocey said. "This is a practical and common-sense decision that ensures we're making full use of the experienced counsellors already working in our communities." He said there are more than 330 counsellors now eligible through this expanded pathway and the move is expected to bolster primary mental health workforce initiatives. "We are starting to turn the corner with reducing wait times and increasing the workforce. We have more mental health nurses, psychologists, support workers and addiction counsellors working on the ground, and overall vacancy rates are starting to ease," Doocey said. "While many challenges remain, this is yet another step this Government is taking to turn the corner on the longstanding mental health workforce vacancies. "When someone is making the brave step of reaching out to get support, workforce should never be a barrier." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Otago Daily Times
2 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
Less than half of recent nursing graduates employed by Heath NZ
Nursing students and recent graduates say they are being "failed" by Health NZ, which has employed just 45% of mid-year graduates. Health NZ figures show just 323 of 722 applicants have got jobs in hospitals through its Advanced Choice of Employment Mid-Year matching process. Co-president of the Nurses Organisation student unit, Bianca Grimmer - who is set to graduate at the end of the year - said it was "really discouraging". "It's certainly affecting all of our cohorts from year one to year three, lot of uncertainty and students wondering if they continue with their degree or look at finding a job somewhere else. "Te Whatu Ora used to hire 80-90% of all graduates. We were blindsided this time last year when only three in every five mid-year graduates were hired. This year is even worse." Health NZ said for the mid-year matching process, there were 173 applications from graduates who were still looking for jobs after graduating at the end of last year. National Chief Nurse Nadine Gray said those who did not get hospital jobs were placed in the talent pool, which was open to all registered employers across the health sector. In recent years, the majority of initially unmatched applicants had successfully secured positions from the talent pool with about 84% of nurses eventually finding roles in both 2023 and 2024. "Graduate RNs [registered nurses] often look to hospitals for their first role, and while we are working to employ as many graduate RNs as possible, I want to encourage students to look right across the health system when looking for their first job." The government was investing in expanding and strengthening the nursing workforce in primary and community care, Gray said. The investment includes: $30 million over five years to fund 400 graduate nurses into primary and community care each year, with providers receiving $15,000 for employing a nurse in an urban setting and $20,000 in a rural setting. $34.2 million over five years to fund 120 nurse practitioner training places in primary care each year from 2026. An additional $21.6 million over four years to accelerate advanced tertiary education for up to 120 primary care registered nurses annually. The Nurses Organisation said a recent survey of 1246 nursing students found 62% would consider seeking a nursing job overseas if they were unable to get a new graduate job in Aotearoa New Zealand. This increased to 73% for Māori students. Bianca Grimmer said nursing students recently attended a jobs expo where Australian recruiters were offering graduates better wages and conditions. "We have a health system in crisis and desperately need more homegrown nurses. With 30,000 Kiwis leaving for Australia in the past year, this short-sighted decision by Te Whatu Ora will see more graduate nurses packing their bags." About 36,000 of NZNO's Te Whatu Ora members are preparing for a 24-hour national strike on July 30 after Collective Agreement negotiations stalled. The union said Health NZ's "refusal to commit to its obligation to employ new graduates" was one of the sticking points.
