TEAM UNLIKELY TO BE QUARANTINED

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22306, 21 January 1938, Page 4

TEAM UNLIKELY TO BE QUARANTINED

j OUTBREAK OF GERMAN 1 MEASLES "ONLY A MINOR DISEASE" U-lUS A»SOClAT10» TILIGRAIf.) [ WELLINGTON, January 20. The Director-General of Health «Dr. : M. H. Watt), when asked to-day about the possibility of the New Zealand Era- : pire Games team being quarantined, i said German measles was a minor disi case, which did not come under the ' purview of the Health Department. ••Generally it was a highly contagi- ; ous disease, but not a serious condition, j and one for which the Health Depart - i ment did not take action, except as : regards schools. There was no suggestion or the Health Department imposing restric- ! tions, and lie could not conceive of 1 any conditions that would give cause for any action of that, kind being ■ taken. The medical adviser to the New Zealand Olympic Council and British Em- : pile Games Association said later that ! there was no question of the team bej ing quarantined. In his view it was I unnecessary. Miss Mary Mitchell, the javelin thrower, had been placed in isolation since her arrival in Wellington, and would be isolated for a week, when she i should be able to leave for the Games. ', Asked what he thought of the pros- ; pects of other members of the team | contracting the complaint, the doctor I thought them very slight indeed. MISS MITCHELL RETURNS TO AUCKLAND i i (LEAN BILL OF HEALTH j FROM HOSPITAL I (PRESS ASSOCIATION TEl.EGttAll.) ' AUCKLAND, January 20. , Surprise was caused in athletic [ circles here this morning when Miss .Mitchell, reported to be in isolation in I Wellington with German measles, rei turned to Auckland. 1 On leaving the train, she went imI mediately to the Auckland Hospital, ! and later stated that she had been : given a clean bill of health and did not j think she had to remain in isolation. I This afternoon she left the hotel where I she was staying temporarily and went j to stay with friends. ' She now expects to receive advice ; from the athletic officials that she will be permitted to sail for the Games by | the Monterey to-morrow evening. | "SHOULD NOT TRAVEL BY j .MONTEREY" (PBISS ASSOCIATION IULttiRAiO WELLINGTON, January 20. Neither ofiicials nor the team's medical adviser knew until this afternoon I that Miss Mitchell had left Wellington. The manager (Mr H. McCormick) said that he had been advised from Auckland that Miss Mitchell had been given a clearance by the Auckland Hospital. The opinion of the medical j adviser was that she definitely should not be permitted to travel by the Monterey, as i«t was essential that she should be isolated. Mr McCormick added that if Miss Mitchell was all right by January 26 she would be able to leave by the Awatea on that date.