Watch on flu urged
PA Wellington Travellers from overseas who develop influenza after arriving in New Zealand have been asked by the Department of Health to contact their doctors. The deputy-director of the Public Health Division (Dr R. Campbell Begg), said it was important to establish which flu strains were coming into New Zealand. Doctors should approach their medical officers of health or the National Health Institute, and arrangements would
be made for the collection of samples for testing. Dr Begg said the National Health Institute had carried out a small study which had confirmed predictions, made on information from overseas, of susceptibility among young people to Russian flu. Samples of blood from people tn different agegroups had been tested for antibodies showing previous exposure to the types of influenza virus now prevalent in the Northern Hemisphere and expected in New Zealand this autumn and winter.
These showed a complete susceptibility to Russian influenza in those under 20, with some immunity in a person over 20, of whom over half had antibodies for the other strains (A Texas and A Victoria). “There is no indication that the new strains produce anything more than a mild to moderate illness, and few complications have been reported,” said Dr Begg. There was no need tor vaccination, apart from those with a medical need, he said.
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Press, 22 February 1978, Page 2
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222Watch on flu urged Press, 22 February 1978, Page 2
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