Six cases of typhoid have broken out in a team of Tairāwhiti rural workers, Te Whatu Ora announced today.
It's believed the outbreak began when one of the workers returned from an overseas trip.
Spread outside the group is "unlikely", the health authority said, with control measures in place.
Typhoid symptoms include fever and generally feeling unwell, with abdominal pain and diarrhoea in some patients.
Symptoms usually start between a week and three weeks after infection. It's caused by a type of Salmonella that only lives in humans.
"This is a small but significant outbreak confined to a rurally based work group," said Te Whatu Ora's Dr Jim Miller. He added that the workers have been treated and are recovering, with the rest of their colleagues offered testing and advice.
"The local public health service is monitoring the situation and is in regular contact with the group to ensure that support is in place and any further illness in those already possibly exposed, is investigated and treated promptly," a Te Whatu Ora statement said.
The disease isn't common in New Zealand, with cases usually connected to international travel.
Direct spread between people is unusual, with drinking water or eating food contaminated by an infected person the most common way the disease is spread. Te Whatu Ora urged anyone with concerns to call their GP or to call Healthline on 0800 611 116.
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