INFLUENZA.

Otago Witness, Issue 3619, 24 July 1923, Page 23

INFLUENZA.

CONDITION'S SLOWLY IMPROVING. Th rce further schools in Otago were closed on Tuesday owing to the influenza epidemic—namely, Popotunoa. Hyde, and Otepopo. It was reported from Palmerston that there were a good many cases, mostly of a mild nature, in the town and district. On Wednesday four additional schools in the Otago district were closed Maclennan, Ida "Valley, Pine Hill, and High street, Dunedin. On Ihursday Brighton. Papakaio, and Gallo way schools were added to the list of more closed. The Girls’ High School reassembled, but Miss King, principal, decided owing to the number of pupils and teachers absent to close for the remainder of the week. The Education Board discussed the question of closing the schools at its meeting on . Thursday. Mr Wallace, the chairman, said it was for the health officers to take the lead and say the schools should be closed Personally he did not feel inclined to take action. He did not think the children would be any better at home than at school. On I riday the following Otago schools were closed Anderson’s Bay. Henley, Blackslone, Wangaloa, Coal Creek, To Uouka, and Mount Cargill. During the week three deaths from pneumonic influenza were reported from the Southland district and one death from the Wallace Hospilal district. One death oecured in the Dunedin district 1 he return of good weather has had an appreciable effect on the epidemic, and although 13 cases of the pneumonic tpve were reported from Otago and Southland diatncts for the 24 hours ended at noon on baturdav (here were no deaths, 'the beautiful day on Sunday had the result of a number of those who had been laid up a j , l le *° resume work on Monday, ana if the fine weather continues during v 7 eec '! ■ IS anticipated that almost COntlU °" 3 Wlll Ixs restored next CENTRAL OTAGO. T n CROMWELL, July 18. Influenza awes seem as numerous as ever lhe schools reopened on Monday, but r^OTted” 3 '"' °" e ° r two s * riou * «« OUTBREAK AT OAMARU. t q - .OAMARU. .July 18. Influenza in a milder form is becoming ▼ery prevalent. The Girls’ High SchoM was closed to-day owing to three teachers and a ncmber of pupils being away fra, . . July 20. llie nnld form of influenza is spreading here, and the town schools have been dosed for a week. Six eases of pneumonic type have been reported, with one death. POSITION IN CANTERBURY . CHRISTCHURCH, July 18. During the past 24 hours 19 fresh cases of pneumonic influenza have been renorted to the health officer, 12 being in the city, two at Amberley three at Timaru. and one each at Springfield and Kanieri {West Coast), lhe health officer, however, regards the epidemic as well in hand. Continuous wet weather is retarding the recovery of patients. TV- r t , . „ July 30. No fresh mks of influenza were reported to Uie health officer to-day, and Dr Teiford says that the epidemic is over as far the metropolitan area is concerned, and that the schools could safely be opened on Monday. Eight fresh cases of pneumonic influenza have been reported from North Canterbury and three from Ashburton in the last 24 flours. POSITION AT GREYMOUTH. GREYMOUTH, July 16. There are about 300 cases of influenza in Greymouth. but none of pneumonic nature, though some are serious. There were 128 cases in the State school to-day, and it is likely that it will close. The epidemic is bad also in the surrounding districts. Many business staffs are short-handed, and in some cases all the staffs are down. ™ . _ . . July 18. J he influenza position is unaltered. The State schools were closed in town to-dav 190 being absent from the main school.’ Inore are no pneumonic cases. MILD TYPE IN WELLINGTON. (From Ouk Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON. July 20 A great many people m and around Wellington have been temporarily absent from work in consequence of their having colds and a mild type of influenza. In the great majority of cases they are suffering from ordinary colds, and there is really no serious influenza epidemic. The attendance at the schools has been much lower than usual, and the cleansing and fumigation of some of the public schools has been carried out. Medical men assert, however, that in many cases people who are said to.have influenza have only ordinary colds and other complaints. In proof of the mild nature of the epidemic in Wellington it need only be - pointed out there has been only one death from pneumonic influenza and two deaths from pneumonia in the whole of this health district during the past four weeks, and the health district includes Palmerston North, Wairarapa, Wairau, Picton, and Nelson, in addition to Wellington City and •üburhs. OUTBREAK IN AUCKLAND. AUCKLAND, July 17. Influenza in the city and suburbs continues to keep the doctors and chemists well occupied. The services of nurses also •re in considerable demand, but so far no schools have been closed. Four new cases of pneumonic influenza occurred in the city and suburbs during the week-end. and one case is also reported from the Waikato district, making 14 such cases in the Auckland health district since the lieginning of the month. There are a few mild eases among the men on 11.M.5. Chatham, such that the work of the vessel is not likely to bo seriously hampered. A MINISTERIAL STATEMENT. 1 (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, July 19. In the House of Representatives to-day Mr P. A. de la Perrelle (Awarua) asked the Minister of Health if he would supply the House with the latest information

in regard to influenza. In the Soutli Island quite a number ot cases had been reported, and there had been some deaths. Would the Minister give the House an assurance that the department had the position well in hand, as there was muon alarm in many quarters, and this had a distressing effect on the temperament of many people Sir Maui Pomare, in reply, explained the position. He said that daring the last month information had been received front the various health districts pointing to an increase of mild influenza. A number of eases of pneumonic influenza were notified to the department, but the figures were not such as to cause any uneasiness. Nevertheless. the situation was being watched closely. The total number of cases and deaths from pneumonic influenza for the month of June were 34 and six respectively, compared with 10 arid one for the corresponding month of last year. The total number of cases and deaths from pneumonia for June of this year were 56 and 17. as compared with 78 and 35 for June, 1922. Since the end of June the disease had extended mainly in the South Island. The number of cases from pneumonic influenza and pneumonia for the whole of New Zealand during the last four weeks were as follows: Pneumonic influenza. Pneumonia. Oases. Deaths. Cases. Deaths. Week ending—June 25 ... 9 0 10 7 July 2 ... 21 2 26 3 July 9 ... 50 7 35 6 July 16 ... 88 12 42 11 A table prepared for the four health districts showed that the South Island was hearing the brunt of the disease It should be added that in 1920 a somewhat similar recrudescence of influenza was experienced for the month of July of that year. For instance. 138 oases of pneumonic influenza and 213 cases of pneumonia were notified to the department, and during the whole of the same year there wore 540 deaths from influenza and 528 deaths from pneumonia. The corresponding figures for the six months ended June 30, 1923, were: Deaths from pneumonic influenza, 11. Deaths from pneumonia, 39. From the end of June to July 16 an additional 21 deaths from pneumonic influenza and 20 deaths from pneumonia have been reported. HEALTH DEPARTMENT’S REPORT. WELLINGTON, July 20. The Health Department states that the number of pneumonic cases notified from July 16 to noon to-day is: Auckland health district: Pneumonic influenza cases 7, deaths 3; pneumonia cases 5; one death Wellington: Pneumonic influenza 4. no deaths; pneumonia eases 2, one death. Canterbury : Pneumonic influenza 3.5, 2 deaths; pneumonia oases 5, 1 death. Otago: Pneumonic influenza 27, 9 deaths; pneumonia cases 2, no deaths. These figures have been published by lhe department to enable the public to obtain the fullest information as to the actual position. Medical men state that the 'present epidemic seems rather to be in the nature of the seasonal influenza. The weather conditions have been such as to aggravate the trouble. DEATHS IN AUSTRALIA. SYDNEY. July 20 Four deaths are reported from pneumonic influenza-two at Goulhurn and two at Broken Hill.