Bay of Plenty's leading health authority is urging parents and caregivers to get children's sore throats checked in a fight against rheumatic fever.
Rheumatic fever is a serious illness and mainly affects Maori and Pacific children aged from 4 to 19 years, especially if someone in the family has had it before.
The fever starts with a sore throat known as a 'strep throat' - a throat infection caused by a bacterial infection or bug called Group A Streptococcus.
If the 'strep throat' is not treated with antibiotics it can cause rheumatic fever.
Toi Te Ora medical officer of health Dr Jim Miller said: "There have been great efforts to reduce this illness in our area, but it is still far too common".