Health officials said there is no risk to the public after an overseas traveller died of rabies in New Zealand.
Te Whatu Ora said it's the first rabies case detected in New Zealand.
"Sadly, the overseas traveller died from the disease last week, but this person posed no health risk to any member of the public while in New Zealand," Te Whatu Ora said in a statement today.
"The disease was contracted overseas and then the person was diagnosed in New Zealand.
"The person was notified as having suspected rabies when first admitted to hospital in early March so was managed with full infection control measures while at Auckland City Hospital and at Whangārei Hospital where they were first diagnosed."
Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall said the traveller's death from rabies was "very sad".
"However, I am not concerned about rabies transmission in New Zealand," she added.
"Rabies cannot be transmitted person to person and we have no rabies reservoir in New Zealand."
Director of Public Health Dr Nick Jones said: "Travellers should be aware, however, that there are thousands of rabies cases reported in humans around the world each year, including a number of countries in our part of the world."
Te Whatu Ora recommends Kiwis get vaccinated for rabies if travelling to a country where the disease is common.
"All travellers should avoid contact with animals in countries with rabies, especially dogs.
"If you are bitten by an animal where there is rabies, you should seek treatment as soon as possible."
Rabies can be caught from saliva of an infected animal if bitten. Without treatment it is usually fatal Te Whatu Ora warned.
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