TWO DIPHTHERIA CASES

Northern Advocate, 3 May 1933, Page 5

TWO DIPHTHERIA CASES

PROMPT PRECAUTIONS

HOSPITAL WARD CLOSED

(Special to “Northern Advocate.”) AUCKLAND, This Day.

Swabbing on an extensive scale during the past few days has been undertaken at the Auckland Hospital as a precaution against diphtheria, and, also ' as a precaution, one of the wards—ward 23 —has been closed.

A few days ago a boy aged nine years were admitted to ward 23 with acute rheumatism. He also complained of a sore throat. A swab of his throat and nose was taken,, and when this was analysed the child was found to be suffering from diphtheria. He was immediately removed to ward 18 —the isolation ward —and everybody in ward 23, the sister in charge, all the nurses, the maids, the porters, and the trolleymcn, wore likewise swabbed. Over 200 swabs wore taken, and out of that number one was returned positive. This was a boy who had occupied the same bed in the same ward for five years. He had been swabbed for diphtheria on twelve occasions, and each time his swab had been negative. Following the discovery of the second diphtheria case, the whole ward was again swabbed. The result of these tests so far is negative. The ward will bo opened again as fcoon as it is certain that there is no danger of infection. The closing of the ward caused considerable inquiry by people who have friends or relatives in it. It was explained by the medical superintendent, Dr. J. W. Craven, that there was not the slightest cause for alarm. He said that every stop had been taken to ensure safety, and the precautions taken were the ordinary ones in such cases. The chairman of the Auckland Hospital Board, Mr W, Wallace, said that it was possible that infection could be brought into the hospital by visitors.