OTAGO PUBLIC HEALTH

Evening Star, Issue 17033, 2 May 1919, Page 6

OTAGO PUBLIC HEALTH

DR PARIS’S REPORT. INCREASE OF SCARLET FEVER AND DIPHTHERIA. Dr Fails, District Health Officer for Otago and Southland, reports that the total number of infectious disease cases notified for the month of April was 210, an increase of 86 as compared with March. This increase is mainly dup to the large number of oases of scarlet fever reported in the Otago hospital district. The 71 cases in the Otago hospital district represents an increase of 46. Only 8 scarlet fever cases are reported from Southland. 5 from Waitaki, and one each from Vincent and Mianiototo. As to diphtheria, the total for the whole area is S3, an, in crease of 25 as compared with March. Of the 88, there wore 52 notifications from the Otago hospital district and 23 from the Waitaki -district. An outbreak of diphtheria was reported from the special school for mentally-de-fective children at Otekaike, there being 15 cases from that institution. AH tho children, numbering 85, tind tho resident staff, numbering 30, were swabbed, and on examination 20 wero found to be diphtheria carriers. Those rases arc being isolated and treated. Tho tuberculosis notifications number 22, an increase of 6, and the influenza cases 15, an increase of 11, tha Otago hospital district contributing 7of the 15, All those influenza cases, with the exception of one, are of a maid type.