INFLUENZA OUTBREAK

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10508, 9 February 1920, Page 5

INFLUENZA OUTBREAK

“ NO CAUSE FOR ALARM ” FEW SERIOUS CASES: A REASSURING STATE3IENT.

Reports as to the position in respect of tho outbreak of influenza indicate that so far the authorities have not been caused uneasiness.

interviewed lust night, Dr I. E. Etuis, .-Ohicf Public Health Officer, stated to a “Now Zealand Times’’ representative .that there was no cause lor alarm. The position was much about the. same as that of a week ago, the number of new cases just about balancing the number of those-who rccov." wed from the sickness. No cases of tho pneumonic typo had been reported during tho last taw days ; in. fact, practically all tlio cases reported for some weeks past were just of mild influenza. He said the department was watching tho position very closely, and that it had the trouble well in hand. Certainly there was no apparent reason to .suppose that it would become epidemic.

Dr Paris stated that ho visited a V.W.C.A. camp at Haywards on Sunday and found three of the members to bo suffering from the sickness in a mild form. He ordered their removal to the Wellington hospital.

Inquiries at tho hospital last night elicited tho information that fiyo now eases were brought in on Saturday and a similar number y esterday, hut details of tho total cases at tho institution were not avaiablc.

Reports from other parts of the Dominion aro not unfavourable generally, but in the southern part of tho South Island the malady is more manifest. HOSPITAL BOARD CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT. NO NEED FOR VIGILANT ■ CO3I3IITTEES. 3ir F. Castle, chairman of the Hospital Board has made tho following statement regarding the present wave of influenza. “I consulted Dr. Fyfloj chairman of tho Wellington Branch ot the British iledicai Association.” he said, “and he is of opinion that there is no need, for the present, to set up Vigilant Committees. Other medical men to whom I have put the question aro of tho same opinion. They hold tho view that the disease is abating, therefore, I do not propose to call tho Vigilant Committee together until tho need becomes more apparent. At the present time there is ample accommodation at the General Hospital a margin of about 100 bods. Private medical practitioners hare authority to recommend a patient’s admission to tho hospital, and this is being availed of. I have also consulted representatives of some of the committees which operated during the 1918 epidemic, and they do not think there is any need to re-estahlish the committees at the present juncture. The list of those willing to give voluntary aid was compiled by the Hospital Board nearly twelve months ago, and circulars are now being issued with tho intention of, revising that list and bringing it up to date. Every indication points to the fact that the present wave is less serious this week than it was last week.”