CASES OF SMALLPOX

Grey River Argus, 14 May 1943, Page 2

CASES OF SMALLPOX

ON N.Z. HOSPITAL SHIP, p A. WELLINGTON, May 13. Mr Fraser has announced that .an outbreak of smallpox had occurred on a hospital ship. One patient, who was disembarked at Colombo, subsequently died, while three other cases of modified smallpox were landed at an Australian port. Appropriate measures of isolation, disinfection and vaccination had been carried out and fortunately, no further cases had occurred. “I regret very much, 1 said Mr Fraser, “that, in the circumstances, it was impossible to extend the same scale of welcome home to the men returning by this ship, or to enable them to be met by relations and friends. Owing to the circumstances mentioned it was / considered inadvisable to notify next-of-kin of the impending arrival of the hospital ship as is usually done.” The Minister of Health (Mr Nordmeyer) stated that conferences of various interested Departments had been held to discuss measures to be taken on the arrival of the ship to safeguard the community against all possible risks of the importation of the disease.

Mr Nordmeyer said that these precautions would necessarily mean a restriction of access of friends to the patients. The crew had all been carefully examined by the Wellington Medical Health Officer, Dr. Huber Smith, who had had extensive experience in. dealing with smallpox. The relations would be notified as soon as it was possible to lift the restriction on visiting.