MEASLES EPIDEMIC

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 159, 1 April 1938, Page 12

MEASLES EPIDEMIC

No Extensive Spread In Wellington SCATTERED CASES Inquiries at the Wellington pisti’iet Office of the Health Department yesterday in regard to the epidemic of measles were answered by the following statement; — "Except in a few areas the measles epidemic does not appear to have made any extensive spread, though scattered cases are appearing in other parts of the city.

“Tlie suspected cases and the contacts as well as actual cases of measles are being excluded from the schools. Parents can assist to prevent the spread of infection by observing the requested isolation. “Children excluded from schools should not attend picture theatres, Sunday schools or other gatherings.” Situation Improving In Auckland Province Dominion Special Service. Auckland, March 31. A survey of the incidence of measles and infantile paralysis in the province indicates that the present position is satisfactory. The measles epidemic / in various parts of the province, especially in eastern and northern districts, is declining, according to reports received by the Auckland district medical officer of health, Dr. Hughes. No serious eases of measles had been notified recently, stiid Dr. Hughes. In Auckland city and suburbs there had been no definite evidence of an epidemic, although he had been informed that in some suburbs there had been a number of cases. School rolls had shown no large decreases in attendance. Although the weather during the recent summer had been favourable to the incidence of infantile paralysis, the only case reported to the department had been that of a child who contracted the disease in January. A study of the epidemic of last year had shown that more adults than usual had been affected and that, whereas infantile paralysis had been formerly regarded as a summer disease, it had persisted until 1 August. 'These characteristics had been noted in other countries. The report of an outbreak in one country when snow was on the ground puzzled medical authorities. Another feature revealed by the survey was that the epidemic was less severe in Auckland than in the south.