SPINAL MENINGITIS CASES

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 42, 18 August 1942, Page 4

SPINAL MENINGITIS CASES

Although there had been an increase during the last few weeks in the number of cases of ■* cerebro-spinal meningitis, there was no need for the public to become alarmed, said the district Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Hubert Smith, yesterday. The increase, he said, was more or less general throughout the Dominion, but in the last week Wellington to have had rather more cases than the other centres.

•: It had not been possible to trace the spi*ead of contacts. A certain number of people all the time were carrying the germs in their throats, and it was desirable to keep children away from crowded places. Dr. Smith quated the following figures for the last three weeks: Week ended July 27, New Zealand 35 cases, one death; Wellington, one case, no deaths. Week ended August 3, New Zealand, 40 cases, four deaths; Wellington, four cases, one death. -Week ended August 10, New Zealand, 59 cases, two deaths; Wellington, 18 cases, one death. Since August 10 there! had been a few more cases in Wellington, including tws deaths. Cases quotedin all instances included suspects, not definitely confirmed. The last week's deaths in Wellington included a child of 21 months,- a man of-23;years, and a man of 75 years. ; . ;