Invasive group A streptococcal infection (iGAS) will become a “notifiable” disease on 1 October 2024, enhancing New Zealand health system’s ability to monitor this severe illness and develop more effective interventions in the future.

On 5 August 2024, Cabinet approved adding invasive group A streptococcal infection (iGAS) to the list of notifiable infectious diseases under the Health Act 1956.

Making a disease notifiable means health practitioners and laboratories are required to inform a Medical Officer of Health of a confirmed or suspected case. It can help health authorities detect and respond to a sharp increase in disease and generate longer-term insights to inform more effective health interventions.

iGAS is a severe illness that almost always results in hospitalisation and can be fatal. Voluntary laboratory reporting to ESR suggests that iGAS case numbers were lower during the COVID-19 pandemic, but more recently have been trending upwards in many countries, including New Zealand.

In addition to making iGAS notifiable, Cabinet has now also removed COVID-19 from the list of quarantinable infectious diseases, as specified in schedule 1 of the Health Act.