7 Mar 2016

Rheumatic fever figures nearly half

8:23 pm on 7 March 2016

The number of people being hospitalised with rheumatic fever has nearly halved in the past four years, says the Prime Minister.

John Key said 98 people were hospitalised with the disease in 2015, compared with 177 hospitalisations in 2012.

The government has spent more than $65 million fighting the illness.

Mr Key said it was great progress and reflected the hard work being carried out in the communities most at risk.