Higher rates of potentially fatal pneumonia found around NZ
Higher than expected rates of a potentially fatal type of pneumonia have been found in regions around the country.
11 June 2019
A University of Otago study tested nearly every Kiwi pneumonia patient for Legionnaire's Disease over the course of a year, finding triple as many cases as previously reported.
Head researcher, Professor David Murdoch, says they found high rates of the disease in areas which had previously reported low numbers of cases.
He says the Bay of Plenty had the highest instance in the country, with Hawkes Bay, Waitemata and Counties Manukau joining Canterbury as having high rates of the disease.
The study found almost 60-percent of patients were aged over 65.
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