INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC

Otago Witness, Issue 3403, 4 June 1919, Page 41

INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC

THE POSITION IN AUSTRALIA. (By Cable.) SYDNEY, May 27. The influenza deaths in New South Wales to date total 1264. May 31. After steadily decreasing to low limits, influenza during the past few days has shown an increasing tendency. Yesterday in the city and suburbs the deaths numbered five and the new cases 72 In South Australia numbers of country districts have become infected, while in Adelaide a considerable number of new cases and a few deaths are reported. In Queensland the deaths so far total about SO. The epidemic maintains a strong hold in Brisbane, many new cases being reported. The public services and business generally are suffering materially, and the Royal Agricultural Show has been abandoned. . In Victoria the epidemic maintains about.the average of recent weeks. Out of 27 deaths yesterday 16 occurred in country areas. June 2. Ten deaths from influenza were reported during the week-end. In response to an announcement authorising restricted passenger service with New Zealand, the Government agent here was besieged all day by applications for passages. Three hundred were classified according to instructions. MELBOURNE, June 2. Twenty-three deaths from influenza were reported during the week-end.

A RESTRICTED PASSENGER SERVICE.

CHRISTCHURCH, May 31. The Hon. G. W. Russell states that instructions have been given to the New Zealand agents in Sydney that a x-estrieted passenger service from Australia may be resumed at once. For the present 50 passenfers are allowed each, vessel, which must ave a doctor, and is to come to Wellington. Preference is given to returning soldiers and specially necessitous and urgent cases, , and passengers must submit to a medical examination at the cost of the Government on three successive days. Mr Russell said the responsibility of protecting the public against a recrudescence rested with the Health Department. Experience showed that even where the bacilli ■were known practically to have died out in one country, when they were taken to another country they flared up into virulence immediately. The New Zealand Government was not taking any chances in that respect. He deeply sympathised with the stranded New Zealanders, but what had been done was done for the good of the country. The agents in Sydney and Melbourne had been instructed to give advances for the sustenance of New Zealanders. i June 2.

The Hon. Mr Russell received news to-day that during the week ended May 24, 125 persons died from influenza in Victoria and 49 in New South Wales. Returns from Queensland and South Australia were not available. The epidemic in the metropolitan area of Brisbane, judging by the number of cases notified there, is very heavy, but the number of deaths has not been recorded. ,