A total of three cases were reported to Southern Public Health in August and, although one case was linked to an outbreak in Ashburton, where 20 people were infected between May and August, Southern District Health Board Public Health physician Dr Keith Reid yesterday said a cause for two cases involving children from the Oamaru development swim squad could not be established.
''These appear to be sporadic cases where the source of infection has not been identified.
''No exposures to common risk factors associated with hepatitis A infection have been found in these cases.''
Neither case was linked to the Ashburton outbreak, and tests had shown the Waitaki Aquatic Centre was not the source.
''Our investigation of the aquatic centre rapidly established that the treatment of the water in the pools was to the appropriate standard. We do not consider that pool to be the source of infection.''
The disease can cause nausea and jaundice, and can be caught through contaminated water or through the faecal to oral route.
However, for a definitive source of infection not to be established was not uncommon, Dr Reid said.
No further cases had been reported, he said.
