INFANTILE PARALYSIS

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12095, 24 March 1925, Page 5

INFANTILE PARALYSIS

WEEK-EHB CASE* SCHOOLS NOT TO OPEN TILL AFTER EASTER. CABINET’S DECISION. Fifteen fresh cases of infantile paralysis were notified during the 48 hours ending T2 noon yesterday, as against 16 on Saturday, and 26 the day before. The cases were distributed as under i Auckland health district, I—New Lynn. Wellington health district, 6—Bell Block, I; River lea (Kaponga), 1; Springdale (Wanganui), 1; Motueka, 1 ; Crlenliope. 1. Canterbury, 9 —Christchurch city, 6; New Brighton, 1; Hornby, 1; Hokitika, 1; Kaikoura, 1. Otago health district, 0. Total for Dominion. 15. OPENING OF 3CHOOLS AFTER EASTER VACATION? Sir Maui Pomare (Minister for Health) informed a “Times” representative yesterday that Cabinet has decided that the schools are not to bo reopened, nor the other restrictions lifted, Until after the usual Easter vacation As Easter Monday falls on April 13th this year, this means that the schools will not reopen till April 14th at the earliest. The matter will be reconsidered by Cabinet a week before the date mentioned. with a view to deciding, whether or no the reopening of the schools shall he still further postponed, “What we have got to do,” stated Dr T. McKibbin (Director of Public Hygiene) to our representative, “is to ascertain what these later cases are like as regards severity. We are taking Steps to do that, as a guide to the department in regard; to the maintenance or otherwise of the restrictions. There would: he only one ground on which we could reasonably lift the restrictions, and that would be that the cases reported during March, and especially towards the end of the month, were mild.”