INFLUENZA

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 119, 13 February 1920, Page 8

INFLUENZA

CASES CONTINUE TO DECLINE

INTERESTING COMPARISON WITH FORMER YEARS

During the twenty-four hours ended noon yesterday, 57 cases of influenza were reported from various parts of tho Wellington public health district, including 10 from Wellington city and 15 from l'almerston North. These figures show a decrease of 35 compared with the return for the previous day, when 92 cases were reported. On Wednesday, 18 notifications were received from Wellington city, five from Lower Hutt, seven from Petone, one from Johnsonvillo, 13 from Picton, and 15 from Kelson. With regard to the Nelson eases, the District Health Officer (Dr. I. E. Fnris) mentioned to a Dominion .reporter that three of the notifications were dated February 3; one, February 5; four, February G; five, February 7; one, February .8; and one, January 31. It would bo seen, therefore, that tho notifications were fairly old.

Dr. Faris added thnt the type of easeß reported continued to be mild, and he was of the opinion that the position was improving steadily. The ratio of pneumonic cases remained low. The weather during the last few days had been very changeable, therefore it was to bo hoped that people who had contracted mild attacks of the disease were observing all necessary precautions. The' latest figures issued by tho Health Department cover the period between noon on February 9 and noon on February 12. During these three days the total number of cases reported throughout the Dominion was C 39, of which 61G were mild cases, nine pneumonic, and 14 severe. Details are as follow :— Health Eneu-

Totals 616 9 11 639 Tho Wellington Education Board notifies that tho schools throughout tho Wellington district will reopen on February 19. Tho Wellington Boys' College will reopen on Thursday next. The headmaster will receivo parents and: guardians on Wednesday. It was pointed out by the Health Department yesterday that prior to 1918, when tho big epidemic drew so much attention to the subject of influenza, there was annually a considerable deathrate from this cause which occasioned no alarm whatsoever. Since tho epidemic of 1918 influenza has been made a notifiable disease, and therefore increased interest lias centred round the numbers of notifications and the numbers of deaths. Following is a table showing the deathrato for the past 11 years:— 1906 132 1907 ■. 223 1908 61 1909 17 1910 HI ;: 1911 03 1912 65 1913 56 1911 63 1915 110 191G 73 1917 38 1918 6089 1919 (approximate) 150 "It will no iseen, then.'" 'remarked the Acting-Chief Health Officer (Dr. R. H; Makgill), when referring to the figures quoted above,, "that every j-car accounts for a varying number of deaths, tho highest on the list being 1907, yet, though the deaths were then 223 in number, no one showed the least alarm; indoed, the fact that there was an epidemic of influenza that year was known only to a few. Wfe have not yet received the completed returns for 1919, but during January of that year wo were Still suffering from tlio after-effects of the great epidemic of November, 1918, and during that month there were 57 deaths. From July to December, 1919, thero were no more than 50 deaths recorded. Although there was a considerable epidemic of influenza in 1919 which 'caused no littlo alarm, probably the total number of deaths for tho year would be found to be well under 150, and threforo not in excess of many previously recorded years. The mere existence of influenza in epidemic form is nothing new and should not create alarm. Wero it not for.tho fact that.the disenso is notifiable, and that the statistics are published from day to day, it is questionable whether tho present epidemic would have attracted public attention." ~ Dr. Makgill concluded by remarking that the notifications received from all parts of the Dominion yesterday showed a satisfactory diminution in tho number of cases reported.

FEWER AUCKLAND CASES. By Telegra"' l i-P"'P" A«-"<:i-.r:nn. Auckland, February 12. Influenza notifications fell to 16 to-day, including only one severe cas<;. ■ There wore nine cases in tho city area.

District. Mild, monic. Severe. Tl. North Auckland 5 — 1 G Auckland 68 - 5 73 Harte's Bay ... 31 - 1 32 Wellington 194 6 i 201 Canterbury 81 ' — - 81 Otago ..' 231 3 3 240