On average 140 people die from rheumatic heart disease each year. I look forward to the day that rheumatic heart disease becomes a historic rarity on these shores. Rheumatic fever can be triggered by untreated strep-throat (a bacterial infection that may cause a sore, scratchy throat). The research is reported in the highly respected international medical journal The Lancet (4 July): Risk factors for acute rheumatic fever. However, as Rob Campbell correctly observes, addressing this “national disgrace” goes beyond the health system.

Source: New Zealand Herald October 06, 2022 20:22 UTC