QUARANTINE LIFTED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20518, 20 March 1930, Page 10

QUARANTINE LIFTED.

AORANGI SMALLPOX CASE.

LEAVING MOTUIHI TO-DAY,

PATIENT'S GOOD RECOVERY.

ISLAND OPEN ON SATURDAY.

The young woman passenger who was quarantined for smallpox after the arrival of the Aorangi from Vancouver on February 23 is to be discharged from Motuihi Island this morning. The island will be thrown open to the public again as a pleasure resort on Saturday. Dr. T. J. Hughes, medical officer of health in Auckland, stated last evening that the patient had made a good recovery and there was no need to detain her further. After her discharge steps would be taken immediately to remove the quarantine restrictions from the island, which would definitely be open to picnickers as from Saturday.

The recent period of quarantine, 24 days, is the longest period during which the island has been in isolation, the last period being one of 18 days in May, 1923, when two cases of mild smallpox were responsible for the quarantine of 100 passengers from the Royal Mail 6teamer Makura on its arrival from Vancouver. There was an earlier instance of the island being used as a quarantine station in December, 1918, when passengers from the Makura were detained at the island as a precaution against influenza. During the recent period the passengers from the Aorangi were given every possible freedom during their enforced isolation, and they were released in groups as soon as they were pronounced by the health authorities to be clear of infection. The isolation was one of distance only, regular launch services providing mail and newspaper communication with Auckland.