PARALYSIS CASE ON RANGITATA

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25554, 23 July 1948, Page 6

PARALYSIS CASE ON RANGITATA

STATEMENT ISSUED BY COMPANY "RUMOURS OF EPIDEMIC UNFOUNDED” (P.A.) WELLINGTON, July 22. Rumours that an epidemic had broken out aboard the New Zealandbound liner Rangitata were without foundation, said the chief clerk of the New Zealand Shipping Company (Mr C. W. Phillips) to-day. There had been one case of poliomyelitis aboard the Rangitata, but the patient had been put ashore at Curacao, where he had died later. Since then there had been no further eases of disease reported in the ship. A radio message received from the Rangitata on Wednesday had reported all well aboard with no further cases of poliomyelitis, added Mr Phillips. 1116 Rangitata, with 800 passengers from Londori, is expected at Welling-, ton at noon next. Wednesday. The situation aboard the Rangitata was being carefully watched, said the Wellington .port health officer (Dr. Hubert Smith) to-day. The vessel would not be put in quarantine if further cases broke out, but passengers from the vessel would be checked when they reached their destinations in New Zealand to see that they were not sufferers. If no further cases broke out aboard the ship before she reached: Wellington, the quarantine time would be past, and there would be no further danger. |