NO POSITIVE CASES

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25365, 12 December 1947, Page 8

NO POSITIVE CASES

CANTERBURY-WEST COAST DISTRICT ONE SUSPECT SENT HOME The number of suspected cases of infantile paralysis in the Canterbury and West Coast health district remains at two. both of which have so far given negative results to tests. One of the two suspects who had been patients in the Christchurch Public Hospital—a boy aged six and a half—was reported yesterday to have been discharged as a definitely negative case. The District Medical Officer of Health (Dr. J. H. Blakelock) announced yesterday, however, that a suspected case of paralysis had been admitted to the Greymouth Hospital. The suspected cases still in hospital in the health district are a child and an adult. A panel of five doctors on the consulting staff of the Christchurch Public Hospital had been appointed, said Dr. Blakelock last evening. These doctors had agreed to assist general practitioners. when called on. in their diagnoses of suspected cases of paralysis. Dr. Blakelock explained yesterday that under certain conditions children might be exempted from the ban on children under 16 travelling to and from the North Island. “While, in general. travel either from the North Island to the South Island or from the South to the North Island of children under 16 is prohibited, in exceptional circumstances permits for travelling will be granted,” he said. “The circumstances that would qualify for a permit are where persons are leaving the country to go overseas, or are leaving the South Island to take up permanent residence in the North Island.

No Exemptions for Holidays “There may be certain compassionate grounds of exemption, each case of which will be determined on its merits. Permits for holiday travel will not be granted in any circumstances Applications for permits should be made direct to the District Health Office. P.O. Box 1309. C’ -istchurch; or by telegram to ‘Health,* Christchurch. The name and age of the child for whom a permit is required must be supplied, also the address which the child is leaving, the address to which he is going, the date and route of travel (whether by air or sea), and information whether there will be any stop-overs en route. “We also wish to know whether the address from which a child is departing has been his address for 14 days before his departure, and. if it has not, then where ’ e has been. We want this information so that we shall know whether the child has been in contact with any known cases before departure. The applications must be sent by a parent or guardian of the child for whom a permit is required. Special forms of application are available on request” Dr. Blakelock said that if people tried to get children on aircraft or boats without a permit they would find themselves prohibited from travelling. The mere holding of a ticket did not entitle a child to travel, as the regulations on permits would come into force with the travelling ban. Corsair Bay had been added to the list of bathing places regarded as possible sources of infection through sewage pollution, said Dr. Blakelock. The list now comprised Corsair Bay, the Estuary. Sumner, and Scarborough, and the inner harbour at Lyttelton. As a sequel to an announcement, made yesterday by the Plunket Society in Christchurch, the Plunket rooms had been closed except for urgent cases by appointment, the society s ordinary telephone line (number 30-365) has proved inadequate to cope with all the calls received. The society has now an alternative line (number 41-801) which mothers may telephone.

The Christmas party to have been held this evening by the Christchurch branch of the New Zealand League for the Hard of Hearing has been cancelled on the advice of the Health Department.

GREYMOUTH CASE NEGATIVE <P.A.) GREYMOUTH. December 11. The suspected case of infantile paralysis in the Greymouth Hospital, a girl aged 14. admitted on Tuesday, has new been diagnosed as definitely not paralysis. BAN ON TRAVEL BY CHILDREN ENFORCEMENT BY UNION COMPANY In spite of the ban on inter-island travel by children under 16 because of the infantile paralysis epidemic. Uie Union Steam Ship Company will adhere to its summer time-table of mailings in the steamer express service. The Christchurch manager of the company (Mr W. A. Smith) said yesterday that his office had been in consultation with the Health Department about the operation of the ban on children travelling. The company was co-operating with the department in seeing that the regulations were observed rigidly. Branches of the company had been circularised, and ships’ officers and airport officials would ensure that no children under 16. for whom permits had not been issued, travelled bv sea or air between the South and North Islands. Mr Smith added that cancellations of sea passages to Wellington had been a little heavier yesterday but there were very few cancellations of air » tssages. Quite a number of new bookings were being made by adults, and persons wishing to travel who had previously been unable to secure bookings could now reapply. Mr Smith appealed to persons who were forced to cancel bookings for children under 16 to advise the company promptly, to enable their reservations to be made available to others not affected by the ban. . Not manv cancellations of reservations were received yesterday bv the Railways Department or bv the Christchurch office of the Tourist and Publicity Department. An official of the Railways Department said that fresh bookings were being received, and the department was well satisfied with the position. Most cancellations had already been rebooked, and the public Sad apparently not panicked. RESTRICTIONS AT NORFOLK ISLAND REVOKED WELLINGTON. December 11. The National Airways Corporation advise that the restriction on the entry of children from New Zealand to Norfolk Island has been revoked by the Norfolk Island authorities.