POLIOMYELITIS OUTBREAK

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27860, 7 January 1956, Page 2

POLIOMYELITIS OUTBREAK

FIGURES FOR HEALTH DISTRICTS (New Zealand. Press Association) WELLINGTON, January 6, - Thirteen cases of poliomyelitis, . including suspected cases, were reported •in Wellington last week, compared with eight in the previous week. However, the over-all figures for New Zealand for the last two weeks show a substantial drop on- cases reported in November and early December. Including suspected cases, the figure last week was 42 and the week before 45. The Director of the Public Hygiene Division of the Department of Health (Dr. F. S. Mac Lean) said yesterday that it appeared the outbreak was moving to the South Island. Figures for the various health districts for last week, with the previous week’s figures in parenthesis, are: Whangarei 0 (3), Auckland 5 (7). Tauranga 2 (3). Hamilton 0 (4>, Gisborne 0 (1). New Plymouth 1 (3), Palmerston North 7 (3), Wellington 13 (8), Nelson 0 (4). Christchurch 2 (2). Timaru 5 <0), Dunedin 1 (7), Invercargill 6 (0). further fatal case IN OAMARU (New Zealand Press Association) OAMARU. January 6. There was a further death from poliomyelitis in Oamaru today, and two more positive cases were admitted to hospital. Since the beginning of the New Year six positive cases have been admitted to the hospital, and two have proved fatal. Earlier in the week, a 22-year-old man died, and today an eight-year-old girl died. TWO NEW SOUTHLAND CASES EXTRA IRON LUNG FOR HOSPITAL (New Zealand Press Association) INVERCARGILL, January 6. Two new cases of poliomyelitis were reported in Invercargill this morning, bringing the total for the Southland province to 27 cases. There have been two deaths from the disease. The new cases are a 14-year-old Invercargill boy and a 59-year-old woman who was staying in the city. An iron lung for Invercargill was flown to Oamaru early this morning by special plane because there are only three iron lungs at the Southland Hospital, said the Medical Superintendent (Dr. H. Hunter) this morning. A waiting ambulance at Oamaru picked up the iron lung and it is on its way to Invercargill. He said that two poliomyelitis cases are in iron lungs at the hospital all the time and another is put in for short periods. CHRISTCHURCH CASE NEGATIVE A suspected case of poliomyelitis admitted to the Christchurch Public Hospital on Thursday afternoon proved not to be poliomyelitis. The. patient was a 13-year-old boy from Sydenham. Six positive poliomyelitis cases have been admitted to the hospital recently.