POLIO EPIDEMIC ON LINER DENIED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22698, 24 July 1948, Page 6

POLIO EPIDEMIC ON LINER DENIED

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, July 23. Rumours here that an epidemic had broken out aboard the Dominionbound liner Rangitata were without foundation, stated the chief clerk of the New Zealand Shipping Company, Mr. C. W. Phillips. There had been one case of poliomyelitis aboard the Rangitata, but the patient had been put ashore at Cura;ao, where he had died later, said Mr. Phillips. Since then there had been no further cases of the disease reported in She ship. A radio message received from the Rangitata on Wednesday had reported ill well aboard with no further cases of poliomyelitis. The Rangitata with 800 passengers from London is expected at Wellington next Wednesday. The situation aboard the Rangitata was being carefully watched, said the Wellington health officer, Dr. H. Smith. The vessel would not be put in quarantine if further cases broke out, but passengers from the vessel would be checked when they reached their destinations in New Zealand to,see that they were not sufferers.

If no further cases broke out aboard the ship before she reached Wellington the quarantine time would be past and there would be no further danger.

CHILDREN’S ILLNESS IN WELLINGTON

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, July 23. No fresh positive cases of poliomyelitis were reported in the Wellington health district yesterday. A large number of sore throats, laryngitis and loss of voice were leading to absenteeism in schools, said Dr. H. Smith, district officer for health. Some schools were co-operating with the Health Department in sending in reports of minor illneses among their pupils, so that the department would know what complaints were prevalent among children. One school reported a high percentage of sore throats combined with loss of voice. He said a number of cases of severe influenza had been brought to his notice. This complaint was apparently very prevalent in Wellington.