Hand foot and mouth disease (HFMD) has medical professionals on watch as a more severe strain sweeps the country.
Hawke's Bay District Health Board medical officer of health, Lester Calder said a new variant of HFMD (Coxsackie virus A6) was spreading in New Zealand that caused a more extensive andsevere rash.
"This has been identified in Auckland for some months and there is anecdotal evidence it is spreading in Hawke's Bay," he said.
"The childhood disease is not a notifiable disease, testing is not routinely undertaken and therefore it is difficult to be sure of the true incidence in our local community.
"There is some anecdotal evidence that this infection is prevalent in the Hawke's Bay community with GPs and early childhood centres seeing a few cases.
"HFMD is generally a mild childhood illness with symptoms including mild fever, painful red blisters on the tongue, mouth, palms of hands and soles of feet."
The rash usually lasts between five and seven days and is usually more prevalent in warmer months.
It is spread through mucus, saliva, or faeces and has an incubation period after exposure of three-to-seven days.
