SUSPECTED MEASLES CASE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 14 July 1938, Page 2

SUSPECTED MEASLES CASE

[ MATUA QUARANTINED PART OF STAY AT APIA ! (United Press Association! AUCKLAND. 13th July. : Because of the discovery of a suspected case of measles among the pasj ?engers, the Union Company's motor- : ship Matua was placed in quarantine for part of a brief stay at Apia, Samoa. > !on 6th July. The passenger, a middleI aged man making a round trip from !; New Zealand, was isolated, but was rc(l ported to be well when he returnI cd to Auckland’with the ship to-day. | From Apia the Matua went to Suva. which she reached last Saturday. No .; restrictions were placed on Ahe vessel ! | there, and after they had been medically examined, passengers and crew I were allowed on shore. 1 : No cases of measles have been reported in the Tonga Group or in Sa1, moa. acording to passengers from Nu--11 kualofa and Apia. Fairly strict precau- ; tions are being taken at Samoa to see 1 that the disease does not spread there 'as it is realised that the natives have | 1 not a strong resistance to its attacks. Influenza in a mild form is said to be • prevalent at both Nukualofa and Apia. . At Suva a number of cases of measles have been reported, but they are not | serious. , To prevent the passibility of the car- [ riage of measles infection from Raro- . tonga, where a number of cases have , been reported, to outer islands in the Cook Group, the Matua will follow’ a changed itinerary when she leaves for ( ! these islands to-morrow. Normally she calls at Rarotonga, visits outlying i islands and then returns to that port. but on this occasion she will omit the 1 first call at Rarotonga. Passengers will ■ be taken for Rarotonga.