INFLUENZA VIRUSES
Two Strains Active (N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON. August 3 Not one, but two influenza epidemics are raging in Wellington. The strains were identified yesterday at the National Health Institute. One epidemic is caused by the Atype virus, related to the “Asian” strain which occurred here in 1957. and the other by the B-type, related to the strain which occurred in Johannesburg in 1958. Dr. W. Hamilton, virologist at the institute, said today that doctors had said they could not understand why people were getting two doses of influenza This double factor provided the explanation.
Dr. Hamilton said that while there were many influenza viruses. A and Btypcs were the more epi-demic-producing ones. The spread of A-type. the worst, was rapid. The B-type. did not spread as fast. It was not as virulent as the A-type. but individual cases of the B-type could be as severe.
No deaths directly attributable to influenza had occured at Wellington during th. present epidemics, he said, although there may have been some resulting from complications after a bad attack.
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Press, Volume CI, Issue 29892, 4 August 1962, Page 10
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176INFLUENZA VIRUSES Press, Volume CI, Issue 29892, 4 August 1962, Page 10
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