INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 229, 22 June 1920, Page 6

INFECTIOUS DISEASES

FIGURES FOR LAST WEEK

BIG DECLINE IN INFLUENZA

During tho week ended noon yesterday 198 ca.=cs of infectious diseases were reported in the Wellington public health district, a decrease of 221 compared with the figures for the previous week. This big decline is due chiefly to the fact that the notifications of cases of influenza dropped from 330 to 129. It was announced recently that influenza would not be notifiable after the end of the present month, and it may be that because of this statement some medical men have already ceased forwarding notifications to the Health' Office. The great majority of the cases reported wcro of a mild description, but six of the pneumonic type were notified from tho following quarters:—Stratford, 1; Eltham, 1; Kaponga, 1; Foilding, 1; and Takaka, 2.

Cases of diphtheria continue to be fairly prevalent, 41 being reported last week, as against 37 for the previous week. Diphtheria is not an uncommon disease at this time of year, however, and the cases that came under the notico of the Health Department last week were pretty well distributed over the district. Notifications of chicken-pox have declined by 14, compared with the previous bulletin, which gave details of 24 cases. The following towns reported cases, of iniiuenza last week:—Norsewood: 3 mild. Dannevirke: 3 mild! New Plymouthj 1G mild. Stratford: 22 mild; 4 severe; 1 pneumonic. Hawera; 1 mild. Elthani: 1 pneumonic. Kaponga: 1 pneumonic. Patea: 3 mild. Otaki: 2 mild. Palmorston North: 3mild. Feilding: 1 pneumonic. Marten: 1 mild. Bulls: 1 mild. Wanganui: 2 severe. Taihape: 1 mild. Wellington City: 21 mild. Havelock: 10 mild. Takaka: 18 mild, i pneumonic. Motueka: G mild. Hospital districts from which notifications of infectious diseases were received during the week were:—Waipawa: Diphtheria, 4; influonra, 6; chicken-pox, 1. Taraimki: Scarlet fever, 1; diphtheria, 4; influenza, 16; chicken-pox, 2. Stratford: Diphtheria, 1; influenza, 27; measles, 1. Hawera: Scarlet fever, 4; diphtheria, 2; influenza, 3; pneumonia, 1; chicken-pox, 2. Patea: Diphtheria, 1; influenza, 3. Wanganui; Influenza, 11; chicken-pox, 1. Palmerston North: Scarlet fever, 1; diphtheria, 6; tuberculosis, 1; influenza, 6. Wellington: Scarlet fever, 1; diphtheria. 12 tuberculosis, 2; infantile paralysis, 1; influenza, 21; pneumonia, 2; measles, 1; chicken-pox, 8; erysipelas, 1. Wairarapa: Diphtheria, 4; ohickenpox, 1. Wairau: Influenza, 10. Nelson: Scarlet fever, 1; diphtheria, 7; influenza, 2G. The following table gives details of the various cases reported last week, tho figures for tho previous period also being shown:— . \ This Last week. week. Scarlet fever 8 8 . Diphtheria 41 37 Tuberculosis 3 2 Infantile paralysis 1 0 ' Influenza 129 330 Pneumonia 3 12 Measles 2 1 Chicken-pox 10 24 Erysipelas 1 3 Enteric fever '• 0'- 1 Ophthalmia 0 1 Totals ..198 419 SMALLPOX IN THE SOUTH. By Telegraph—Press Association. Dunedln, June 21. Two fresh-cases of American smallpox were notified to-day to {he Health "-Officer from Otago and. Southland, making a total to date since the outbreak was notified of fifty-one-29 in Southland, 22 in Otago. The total number of cases under treatment in Dunedin is eleven, and fifteen in Southland. The Health Officer advises vaccination, and many school children are being vaccinated.