SMALLPOX OUTBREAK

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23858, 12 July 1939, Page 12

SMALLPOX OUTBREAK

PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES A 1 AUCKLAND QUARANTINE INSPECTION OF VESSEL (Per United Press Association! AUCKLAND, July 11. Strict precautionary measures to prevent any possible spread of the occurrence of smallpox at Tahiti will be taken by the Health Department on the arrival from Papeete at Auckland to-morrow morning of the Union Company’s chartered motor ship Tolten. The vessel was _at Papeete for about a weak loading island produce and as she cleared the port for Auckland oqly 12 days ago it is considered that an insufficient incubation period has been given for signs of the complaint to be apparent. When the Tolten arrives in the stream she will anchor and will be boarded by the acting port health officer and the Health Department doctor. Ten passengers and the ship’s complement of 48 will be examined. Those who have not previously been vaccinated against smallpox will be vaccinated and all will be under surveillance for more than a week, reporting daily to the Health Department. The safeguards to be taken follow routine lines, but the quarantine inspection will be the first of its kind made at Auckland for many years. The incubation period from smallpox is from 12 to 14 days, a period longer than the Tolten has been at sea and every precautionary measure is therefore required. The normal period of quarantine in the event of an outbreak is 16 days and the isolation period for sufferers is from four to six weeks.