INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17533, 27 January 1919, Page 5

INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC

TROUBLE SPREADING DJ AUSTRALIA. VICTORIA PREPARED* Press Association.—By IVlograpli—CoppagHk, MELBOURNE, January 25. Influenza has been' declared a xiotifiabbt disease. There were 29 fresh cases of rrrßrwnTa admitted to the Melbourne Hospital, «vfl • another death has occurred. MELBOURNE, January 26. . (Received Jan. 26, at 5.30 p-nL) A rush for inoculation has set in. The police and other public servants an undergoing treatment, and depots are being established in the city and suburbs. More cases have been reported, but they are mostly of a slight nature. A conference of doctors discussed tha - situation, and subsequently the chairman of the Board of Health stated that v -tha unanimous opinion had been reached thai . the'reports did not justify drastic action, and therefore Victoria would not fox the present be declared a quarantine area, bat .». everything was in readiness for doing so,"' and all necessary precautions weze being ' taken. , -',

HOT WEATHER REDUCING VTRULENCK

MINISTERS' PRECIPITATE FLIGHT,

MELBOURNE, January 26. . (Received Jan. 26, at 5.30 p.m.) One view of the outbreak is that it ii ;■ similar to New Zealand's visitation, bu*'the hot weather is helping to reduce it» " virulence. "

When the Ministers' Conference met onSaturday dt was discovered that the New South Wales' delegates were missing, and ' it was ascertained that Mr Hoiman had . •secured a special train and departed -with, his colleagues homewards to forestall posh ' sible developments. This is teikon as an indication of £hs official view that it is necessary to exercise the greatest caution. .; The Liter-State Farmers' Conrerew»> was to reassemble on Saturday, but only one delegate turned up. The rest de-i" camped homewards,, a northern delegata taking advantage of Mr Holman's special,

PREPARING FOR EVENTUAEEIES, SYDNEY, January 25. (Received Jan. 26, at 5.30 p.m.) A strict patrol has been established cut v the "Victorian border against influenza. No restrictions have yet been placed •oa, shipping between Melbourne and Sydney; v A_ suspicious case in Sydney is a returnedsoldier - who arrived from Melbourne on Wednesday. AH with whom he has been' 1 in contact have been isolated.' a, 1 A second suspect is under Meantime the widest preparations for eventualities aro being made. 'i

A CASE IN ADELAIDE. ' ADELAIDE, January 25. A suspicious case of influenza is reported at Unleve. The patient recentrjj returned.-from Victoria. •

THE NIAGARA AT AUCKLAND, ONE CASE OF INFLUENZA. ' SUFFERER AND CONTACTS , ' ; ISOLATED. (Pee United Press AssoorATiairJ ' AUCKLAND, January 28.' The Niagara was quarantined on arrival from Sydney on Saturday morning owing to a case of influenza having been reported' among the second-class passengers. Later .> in the day, however, the vessel was released and came alongside the wharf. The passenger affected was Mr- Smart, of Suva, who reported to the ship's doctor on Friday, and this patient, togetlier with' six. contacts, were removed, to quarantine at MotuihL The authorities in Wellinjjton did not consider it necessary to quarantine the other passengers, and consequently they were allowed to land about 7 o'clock in the evening. " THE. LATEST NEWS. OTHER CASES REPORTED. THE DISEASE NOT PNEUMONIC. SYDNEY, January 26. > (Received Jan. 27, at 1.10 a.m.) In 'addition to the first case ,two other cases of returned soldiers from Melbourne, \ suffering from influenza, have been taken to the Randwick Military Hospital, where ' a doctor, an orderly', and a nurse have also developed symptoms. A seventh suspect is under observation. Tlie doctors here state that the disease ia not of the pneumonic type, but eimpla influenza •in a serious form. Diagnoses, however, are not complete, either in Sydney or Melbourne, and the result ia> anxiously awaited.