INFANTILE PARALYSIS

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 147, 18 March 1937, Page 12

INFANTILE PARALYSIS

Hastings Victims Making Good Progress

CLOSING OF SCHOOLS Dominion Special Service. Hastings, March 17. No further cases of infantile paralysis have been reported in the Hastings district to-day aud the authorities slate that the five children so far isolated at the Napier Hospital are making satisfactory progress. Only one case is regarded as serious, this being one admitted about a week ago. The Government Medical Officer of Health, Dr. F. S. McLean, has written confirming the closing of the schools. All Sunday school superintendents are directed to do likewise and children under 16 are not to be admitted to the theatres or swimming baths.

So far no consideration has been given to the question of closing down the Napier schools as the result of the outbreak in Hastings, as it is considered that at the present time closing down in Napier would be unwarranted. However, a big combined picnic which was to be held by the Returned Soldiers’ Association at Waipawa, _ on .Sunday next has, on the advice of the Public Health Department, been postponed. The chairman of the Hawke’s Bay Education Board, Mr. G. A. Maddison, states that should the outbreak show no signs of abating it is possible that the period during which the schools are to he closed will be extended after Easter. “Even the present break will have a detrimental effect on the schooling of the children,” said Mr. Maddison, “and although it has been arranged for lessons to be broadcast over the air there are obvious difficulties in regard to this . service and headmasters can probably evolve a better system by publishing a certain amount of work for children to do in their own homes.” THIRD MANAWATU CASE Dominion Special Service. Palmerston North, March 17. A suspected case of infantile paralysis, a woman from Bainesse, was admitted to the public hospital to-night. There are already two positive mild cases in hospital from this district, a Maori woman aged 20 from Bainesse and a European girl aged seven from Mangawhata. Both places are within a few miles of each other. STOCKTON SCHOOL CLOSED Nelson, March 17. Owing to infantile paralysis the school at Stockton on the West Coast has been temporarily closed. Fifty-four children attend the school. POSITIVE OAMARU CASE Oamaru, March 17. The boy of five years admitted to hospital yesterday morning has now been diagnosed a mild positive case of infantile paralysis. TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS Maoris and Nuhaka Hui By Telegraph—-Press Association. Wairoa, March 17. As a result of the outbreak of infantile paralysis at Hastings, the Health Inspector in Wairoa has received advice from the Department of Health that no Maoris south of Napier are to be allowed to travel to Nuhaka for the big Mormon hui to be held there at Easter.

It is anticipated that Hie attendance at the hui will be between 1600 aud 1800 Maoris.