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Also known as a high temperature
Key points about fever
A fever is when your core temperature is raised above 38°C. It often accompanies an infection, such as a cold or flu.
Normal body temperature for children and adults is around 37ºC (degrees Celsius). You have a fever ifyourtemperature is between 38ºC and 38.9ºC and a high fever when yourtemperature is 39ºC or over.
Usually, you will feel unwell and hot, and you may sweat. Sometimes you will feel very cold and shivery even when your temperature is high.
You can use a thermometer to find out how high your temperature is.Read more aboutthermometers and how to use them.
This page provides general information about fever. If you have a child with a fever, seefever in children.
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A fever usually lasts 3–5 days and most people recover from a mild feverby managing their symptoms at home. However, there are timeswhen you should see a doctor urgently for fever.
Drink plenty of fluids, especially wateror rehydration fluid (little and often is best).You sweat more when you have a fever. Drink enough so your urine (pee) is light yellow and clear.
Rest while you recover.
Open a window for ventilation but avoid draughts.
Wear lightweight comfortable clothing and use lighter bedding. Don't use hot water bottles or electric blankets.
Use a cool cloth to wash your face, hands and neck.
Change bed linen and clothing regularly,especially if they are wet from sweat.
Although most fevers will settle down in a few days and are not worrying, you sometimes need to seek medical advice.
Contact ahealthcare provider or call Healthline 0800 611 116 for advice:
If you have a fever and the following symptoms:
a high fever (39ºC or over)
you are passing urine that is darker than normal
you are still feverish after 3 days or seem to be getting sicker
you are shivering or shaking uncontrollably, or have chattering teeth, and itdoesn’t stop within an hour or so
you have a severe headache that doesn’t get better after takingpain medicines
are having trouble breathing
are getting confused or are unusually drowsy
have recently travelled overseas.
If you have a fever and you are:
being treated forimmune deficiency
onimmune-suppressant drugs, such as regular steroids, methotrexate, azathioprine or cyclophosphamide
taking medication where you have been warned about a risk of a reduced immune system
having,or have recently completed, treatment for cancer, leukaemia or lymphoma
a transplant recipient
HIV positive.
If you’re pregnant and havea fever, check with your midwife, doctor or nurse before you take any medicines.If your fever lasts for longer than a day,talk to your lead maternity carer (LMC).
Call 111 and ask for an ambulance or go to the nearest hospital
If you have a fever and any of the following symptoms:
Hallucinations.
Vomiting.
A stiff neck (unable to put your chin onyour chest or have pain when movingyour neck forward).
A skin rash.
A rapid heart rate.
A seizure (fit), orexperience signs of a seizure about to happen, such as regular twitching or jerking.
A viral infection is the most common cause of a fever. A bacterial infection is less common but is more serious. Your body's natural reaction to infection is to raise your body temperature. This helps kill the infection. Vaccination sometimes causes a mild fever too.
Fever is your body’s way of fighting infection. Medicine is not needed for mild fever, but you can useparacetamolif you also have a headache or muscle pain.
How to use a thermometer Flu Meningococcal disease Pneumonia Earache Gastroenteritis | Pokenga whēkau Tonsillitis | Pokenga repe korokoro Chronic kidney disease (CKD) Urinary tract infection (UTI) in women (Pokenga pūaha mimi) Chickenpox | Mate koroputa hei Rubella (German measles) Whooping cough Rheumatic fever
Fever in adults(external link)Ministry of Health, NZ Influenza(external link) Ministry of Health, NZ
Resources
The difference between influenza and a cold(external link)Ministry of Health NZ, 2013 After your immunisation(external link)HealthEd, NZ, 2017 Thermometers - how to use them(external link)KidsHealth, NZ, 2015
Body temperatures vary slightly from person to person and at different times of day. The average temperature has traditionally been defined as 98.6 F (37 C). A temperature taken using a mouth thermometer (oral temperature) that's 100 F (37.8 C) or higher is generally considered to be a fever.
A fever is typically a sign of an illness or infection, such as COVID-19. Healthcare providers generally consider a body temperature of 100–100.4 degrees a fever in adults. Infants and children have a fever if they have an oral temperature of 99.5 degrees or a rectal temperature of 100.4 degrees.
temperature of >37.7°C (>99.9°F) would define a fever. The normal daily temperature variation, also called the circadian rhythm, is typically 0.5°C (0.9°F).
While any temperature above your normal temperature range is considered a fever, there are different levels of fever severity: Low-grade: 99.1 to 100.4 F (37.3 to 38.0 C) Moderate-grade: 100.6 to 102.2 F (38.1 to 39.0 C) High-grade: 102.4 to 105.8 F (39.1 to 41 C).
While body temperatures vary, most of us have an internal temperature around 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. A temperature slightly higher than that is still normal. When your temperature is between 100.4 and 102.2, you have what is considered a low grade fever.
A low-grade fever is between 99 degrees F (37.2 C) and 100.4 degrees F (38.0 C). It is usually nothing to worry about and will typically run its course in several days or less without treatment. Infections are the most common cause, but there are also non-infectious causes (including medications and stress).
Normal body temperature ranges from 97.5°F to 99.5°F (36.4°C to 37.4°C). It tends to be lower in the morning and higher in the evening. Most healthcare providers consider a fever to be 100.4°F (38°C) or higher. A person with a temperature of 99.6°F to 100.3°F has a low-grade fever.
“Use your judgment on how you're feeling, and try to limit exposure to others by good hand-washing.” However, if you have a fever with a temperature at or above 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8 degrees Celsius), Zeigler recommended staying home to avoid exposing others to whatever is making you sick.
There's no standard low-grade fever range. But many healthcare providers consider a body temperature between 99.5 degrees F (37.5 degrees C) and 100.3 degrees F (38.3 degrees C) to be a low-grade fever.
When should you go to the ER for a fever? For patients who are otherwise healthy, alert, and have an obvious explanation for their low-grade fever – such as a cold – at-home remedies and monitoring may be sufficient. However, any fever above 103°F should be treated immediately in the ER.
If you are an adult with a fever over 103 F (39.4 C), you need to call your healthcare provider immediately. If it is over 105 F (40.5 C), you need to rush to your nearest emergency room. You may need to act even sooner when infants, children, older adults, and immunocompromised people have a fever.
Medication isn't needed. Call the doctor if the fever is accompanied by a severe headache, stiff neck, shortness of breath, or other unusual signs or symptoms. If you're uncomfortable, take acetaminophen (Tylenol, others), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or aspirin.
What temperature is a fever high enough to go to the hospital? As we have mentioned earlier, a body temperature of 100 degrees or higher is standard for an adult fever. However, if your body temperature rises to 103 degrees or higher, you should seek emergency care.
It's possible to feel feverish but not be running an actual temperature. Underlying medical conditions, hormone fluctuations, and lifestyle may all contribute to these feelings. Feeling feverish or hot may be one of the first signs of having a fever. But sometimes you may feel like you have a fever when you do not.
Take paracetamol or ibuprofen in appropriate doses to help bring your temperature down. Drink plenty of fluids, particularly water. Avoid alcohol, tea and coffee as these drinks can cause slight dehydration. Sponge exposed skin with tepid water.
There's no standard low-grade fever range. But many healthcare providers consider a body temperature between 99.5 degrees F (37.5 degrees C) and 100.3 degrees F (38.3 degrees C) to be a low-grade fever.
Normal body temperature ranges from 97.5°F to 99.5°F (36.4°C to 37.4°C). It tends to be lower in the morning and higher in the evening. Most healthcare providers consider a fever to be 100.4°F (38°C) or higher. A person with a temperature of 99.6°F to 100.3°F has a low-grade fever.
There are five patterns: intermittent, remittent, continuous or sustained, hectic, and relapsing. With intermittent fever, the temperature is elevated but falls to normal (37.2°C or below) each day, while in a remittent fever the temperature falls each day but not to normal.
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