INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC

Otago Witness, Issue 3400, 14 May 1919, Page 27

INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC

THE AUSTRALIAN OUTBREAK. SYDNEY, May 7. Despite the heavy rain of the past few days the influenza in the metropolitan area, both as regards the number of cases and the death roll, is steadily improving.

May 8. The Medical Council, in view of the marked improvement of the influenza position, has recommended the lifting of all restrictions on outdoor assemblages, only retaining masking of indoor assemblages, and on trains, trams, and ferries. The council Avarns the public of the probability of a recrudescence of the epidemic, and of the necessity for the utmost care to avoid infection.

May 9. The New South Wales Cabinet has decided to adopt the Medical Council's recommendations to. lift the restrictions on racing and -outdoor sports immediately. A decision regarding theatres and schools has been postponed. Official influenza figures show that the deaths in New South Wales since the Ist January totalled : —Metropolis, 1217; remainder of the State, 306; of which 1002 were males and 521 females.

May 11. At the resumption of racing and the opening of the football season yesterday there were good attendances. Despite the prevalence of influenza, the position in metropolitan and country districts, both in New South Wales and Victoria, is steadily improving. There is reason to believe that the top of the wave has passed. Infectivity and virulence are ooth ingThe South Australian report shows that it is gaining ground, and increasing the number of deaths, though the death-rate is not large. Queensland reports indicate that since the first the outbreak is steadily spreading, and there are many new cases.

The Moeraki will sail for Levuka direct at midnight, taking passengers for transference to the Makura at Fiji.

May 12. There were 19 deaths from influenza in the city and country during the week-end. MELBOURNE, May 7. The Government Statistician's report states that during the first three months of 1919 there were 628 deaths from influenza, and approximately 6 per cent, of all" the cases reported proved fatal. Neighbours entering the house of a settler named Beckmann, near Ballarat, found the mother, daughter, and son dead from influenza. The father, who is totally blind and is recovering from the epidemic, was unable to afford any beyond stating that he knew they were sick and had not heard them speak for some time.

May 12. There were 30 deaths from influenza during the week-end. BRISBANE, May 6. The Queensland Government has imposed the compulsory wearing of masks and other restrictions adopted by New South Wales.

SUVA, May 8. The Levuka, which arrived from Sydney with 107 passengers, had seven cases of influenza on board. The ship has been quarantined.

SHIPPING AND QUARANTINE. WELLINGTON, May 7. The health authorities reported yesterday fiflat Kan Larsen, one of the Manuka's firemen, who was in quarantine on Somes Island, had succumbed to influenza. x»part from this unfortuiate occurrence tho position is generally satisfactory, no fresh development having taken place since Saturday.

The Health Department having given permission for the berthing of the Manuka, it was intended to bring- the vessel to the wharf at 7.30 to-night, but the waterside workers announced that they would not work the vessel unless a further examination of the crew was made. Accordingly, another examination will be carried out.

May 8. To-day the temperature of each man on the Manuka was taken, and the pronouncement in each case was *' normal.” Over 20 contacts are to rejoin the Manuka tomorrow. The Komata was to leave Wellington last evening for Westport, with several passengers. A fireman named John Farnham was suspected of having influenza and was removed to the hospital. The vessel was umigated. She will now be allowed to nrocoed on her journey. May 10. A second death among the members of the crew of the Manuka occurred on Thursday night, when John Sullivan, 38 years of age, single, who signed on as fireman at Sydney, died at the quarantine station on Somes Island from the effects of influenza. The Manuka, which has been quarantined since April, was permitted to berth this morning. The watersiders will not work the vessel’s cargo until Monday. It is reported that there are two serious cases of influenza among the Manuka’s crew on Somes Island. No further cases of influenza occurred on the steamer Komata. / The vessel after being thoroughly fumigated was sent out to the stream yesterday, preparatory to saihng to-day for Westport. INVERCARGILL, hi ay 8. The Kaiapoi, which arrived to-day at Bluff from Melbourne, and the Westmoreland, from Adelaide, were both placed in quarantine. OFFICIAL REPORTS OF CASES. WELLINGTON, May 8. During the four days from Mav 1 till May 4 39 cases of influenza were notified in the dominion. In the Auckland district there wore eight casps, all mild; Wellington, 13 cases, including one pneumonic. at Nfiw Plymouth and one at Eltham; Canterbury, 18 cases, including four pneumonic in Christchurch and suburbs and three severe cases in the Timaru and Parcora districts. There were no notifications in Otago. There have been three deaths from influenza recently —one at Pahiatua on April 27, and one at Marton and one at Spreydon (both on May 1).

There are at present nine oases in tho hospital on Somes Island, three or four being severe, and there are five convalescents. There .is a complete staff on the island, including tbreo nurses and orderlies, and everything riossible is being done for the patients. CIIRISTCHURCH May 8. An influenza bulletin issued to-day states that there are 22 cases in Canterbury, as follows:—North Canterbury 9 (two being virulent), Ashburton 7 (one severe), South Canterbury 6 (two pneumonia). No deatha have occurred. May 12. For the week ended at noon to-day there were 47 cases of influenza notified in the Canterbury health district. The hospital districts concerned were: Buller (2), North Canterbury (26), Ashburton (7), South Canterbury (12). NAPIER. May 7. . A mild case of influenza was discovered on the Echo to-day, and the vessel wai isolated in the roadstead for 48 hours. EMBARGO ON TRAVELLING. CHRISTCHURCH, May 11. The Hon. G. W. Russell states that the embargo upon '■ passengers travelling from Australia renders it impossible for miners to land in New Zealand. He hopes that before long the position will have sufficiently improved to enable restrictions on the passenger service to be instituted by which New Zealanders at present in Australia will be This cannot take place until the conditions at the quarantine stations are such as to enable a full ship's company to be handled. Till then ifc is not considered desirable to relax the conditions of the embargo. NO DEMAND FOR VACCINE. CHRISTCHURCH, May 8. The response by the public to the offer of the authorities at the Christchurch Hospital to vaccinate them against influenza for a small charge or, if necessary, free has been so disappointing that the scheme' to relievo a member of the medical staff from all other duties for four hours per. day will be discontinued at the end of the week. Mr Wharton (secretary of the Hospital Board) stated to-day that the result of the' experiment was disappointing simply because the public would not take advantage of tho authorities' scheme. In the Old Country vaccination had staved off general attacks of influenza, and he was convinced that ~it_ would do so here if the public were awake' to the necessity for precautions. A PRECAUTION. AUCKLAND, May 8. The Pu'blio Works Department had difficulty in getting carpenters and labourers for work at Motuihi until a guarantee was given of compensation in case of sickness or death should any of tho men contract influenza while on the island. There ai% still four of the Makura's passengers irrhospital on Motuihi. It was brought to the i notice of tho Carpenters' Union yesterday that men employed on the island in close proximity to the hospital returned to their homes in town for the week-end, and that on Monday a number of workmen left the island and returned to town in consequence of the bad conditions—poor accommodation and insufficient-'Tood. The executive of tho Carpenters' Union contends that it is contrary to all quarantine regulations for men employed about a quarantine station while infectious patients are there, to return to town and mix with the public, with tho , possibility of carrying disease amongst the population. _ • _ Sir T. Bloodworth (secretary of the union) has been instructed to • bring <he matter under the notice of the District Health Officer. Speaking on the subject this morning, Mr Bloodworh said the union had eot' a guarantee for its own men in case of sickness, and it desired that the publio should bo protected against those men carrying the disease to the city again. THE OUTBREAK AT SAMOA. WELLINGTON, May 9. A Royal Commission has been appointed by the Government of New Zealand to inquire into the causes of the outbreak of pneumonic influenza in Samoa last year. Tho chairman of the commission is to be Mr George Elliott, of Auckland, and the other members Messrs Thomas Wilson and William Harold Sefton Moorhouse. They are to inquire into the following questions:—First, the circumstances and causes of the introduction of the epidemic of pneumonic influenza into the islands of Western Samoa in or about the month of November, 1918, and of ■its extension in those islands; second, all matters connected with the departure <_f the steamship Talune from the port of Auckland on or about October 50, 1918, her voyage to the said islands, and her arrival there in respect of the bearing of those matters on the introduction of the said epidemic; third, whether the introduction or extension of thft said epidemic was caused by any negligence or default on the part of any persons in the service of the Crown, whether in respect of the Executive Council of New Zealand or in respect of the Administration of tho sakl islands of Western Samoa. Mr R. G. Thomson, of the Hansard staff, has beea appointed secretary to the commission. STRANDED NEW ZEALANDERS. WELLINGTON, May 8. The following cablegram from Melbourne, signed "Komball," has been received ; by the Dominion: —"Please draw the Minister's attention to the fact that several New Zealanders urgently want to return home. It is not a question of bein<r stranded, but urgent business reasons. Even when permission is granted, some delay must take place before they can get a steamer. Several steamers have already been taken off the New Zealand run." The deaths, registered in England and Wales in the December quarter of last year were 127,000 more than the total for July, August, and September, and 128,477 more than in tho fourth quarter of 1917. No fewer than 98.998, or 41 per cent, of the 241,218 deaths registered, were attributed directly or indirectly to influenza. This number is far in excess of all previous records.