INFLUENZA IN EUROPE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 69, Issue 76, 10 January 1949, Page 2

INFLUENZA IN EUROPE

THE FIRST, DEATH IN FRANCE (Rec. 9.25 a.m.) PARIS, Jan. 9. The first death from the influenza epidemic spreading across France occurred in Baubege, says the British United Press correspondent. Estimates of patients vary between 1,000,000 and 5,000,000. The hospitals in Paris have had to refuse patients during the last few days because of over-crowding. Chemists have been ordered to remain open after normal closing times because of the demand for medicines.

1 OUTBREAK SPREADS IN ITALY

LONDON, January 8

“The French influenza epidemic has the same symptoms as the beginning of the disastrous 1918-19 epidemic, according to an influenza specialist, Professor Moreau,” says the Paris correspondent of Reuters. The left wing Socialist newspaper, “Combat,” quotes Professor Moreau as saying: “The epidemic is far more serious than certain official communiques pretend.” ■ “Combat” declared that 4 per cent, of the cases were fatal and deaths had occurred 'at Paris hospitals in the last few days. The left wing “Franc Tireur” says that the Pasteur Institute will shortly produce a vaccine usable against all 50 or so viruses responsible for the epidemic.

The Rome correspondent of the Associated Press says that the influenza epidemic which put half Rome in bed in December, had spread to the Turin area. Children under five were especially hard hit. Three have already died, and 24 are said to be near death, while many are seriously affected. Anxious citizens of Milan have bought up all the available penicillin in Milan, and the health authorities telegraphed the Commissioner for Health at Rome urgently, seeking new supplies.

“The influenza epidemic has broken out in the southern provinces of the Netherlands,” says the Amsterdam correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph.” “It is not of a serious kind. The number of cases in Amsterdam is increasing.”

In Paris, chemists’ shops turned away queues, because the city has run out of influenza medicines.

A Ministry of Health official in Britain said that the Ministry was on the alert, keeping in full working order its “ ’flu-spotting” system, which is organised in co-operation with the Medical Research Council and the virus laboratories of the Public Health Laboratory Service. There were 29 deaths in the week to January 1 from influenza in the 126 big towns of England and Wales, covering a population of about 20,000,000. This compares with 25 deaths the week before and 85 in the corresponding week a year ago.

Neither the main influenza virus known as “A” and “p” so far. this winter has identified in Britain. A “spotting” system, in co-operation with the World Health Organisation, is being instituted on a world-wide scale. The Amsterdam correspondent ot the British United Press says that the influenza epidemic has reached Southern Holland. Many cases are reported in Limburg and North Brabant.