INFLUENZA WAVES

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10601, 28 May 1920, Page 5

INFLUENZA WAVES

NOTHING TO CAUSE ALARM CHIEFLY MILD CASES. .STATES DISTRICT HEALTH OFFICER. An interesting and reassuring statement in regard to the “influenza wave” at present in evidence in tho Wellington Health District, was made to a "Times” representative yesterday bv Dr Fails, District Health Officer.

For the week ending -Monday last, -May 24th,*’ stated Dr E'aris, “H4U cases of inlluenza were notified in tho Wellington Health District, which goes as,far as New Plymouth on the one coast and as far as Waipawa on tho other side, and also includes tho Nelson and Blenheim hospital districts. But of the nay cases, no fewer than 1112 were mild, and only Id severe ami 24 pneumonic. The estimated population of the health district is 0)50,G32. In the preceding week there were 7118 cases, of which mo woro mild, three severe, and 20 pneumonic. xiieicToro the proportion ot the pneumonic cases to the mild cases is a. very small percentage. It was 24 to 1112 last week and 20 to 775 the neck before ; so that the ‘pneumonic ratio,’ as it was called, is very low, and in proportion to the number of inhabitants in the health district it is nothing to bo alarmed about. In Wellington city and suburbs, for tho week ending May Z4th. there were 356 mild cases, and three pneumonic out of a population of over 80,000 and for tho _week ending May- 17th. there were 325 mild eases, seven pneumonic, and two severe; so that’the overwhelming majority of tho cases are mild. "Personally, I am of opinion that w» shall get a number of these waves of mild influenza throughout the winter months, and there is nothing to cause alarm. In past years, before there was notification, we had these waves of mild influenza. For the last 24 hours there were notified throughout tho health district four pneumonic cases (one at Lower Hint, ono in Wellington, and two at Eltham), two severe cases (one at Pahiatua and one at Stratford), and 108 mild cases, making a total of 114.