INFLUENZA.

Otago Witness, Issue 3775, 20 July 1926, Page 23

INFLUENZA.

POSITION IN DUNEDIN. NO SERIOUS CASES. The District Medical Officer of Health reports that the department was notified on Tuesday last of one case of pneumonic influenza. The patient, a man, who resides at Pentland street; North-East Valley, was immediately removed to hospital, and the inmates of his home were isolated. Dr fiore, however, stated that there was no cause for alarm, and that indications did not point to any serious outbreak of the malady. Nevertheless, in view of the outbreak in Christchurch, it would be wise for people to notify any case of which there was the slightest suspicion, and to observe carefully the ordinary laws of health and sanitation laid down by the department. A suspected case of pneumonic influenza was notified on Wednesday morning, and the patient, who resides in Ravensbourne, was immediately admitted to the Hospital. No fresh cases of pneumonic influenza have been reported to the Health Department, and Dr Shore states that the cases which have already been admitted to hospital are progressing favourably. He also reports that the state ol the public health in the city is generally very satisfactory. No fresh cases of pneumonic influenza have come under the notice of the Health Department here, and there is no occasion to anticipate an outbreak of an epidemic. The cases under treatment in the Hospital continue to make satisfactory progress. PREVALENT IN BALCLUTHA. Our Balclutha correspondent reports that the district has suffered from the influenza epidemic, but so far uo cases of the pneumonic type have been reported. Children are the chief sufferers, and the disease has in several cases been diagnosed as of the severe —but not pneumonic —type. The few adults who have been attacked have suffered severely from gastric trouble, and a distressful cough. AUCKLAND AUCKLAND, July 12. Five fresh cases of pneumonic influenza were reported to the Auckland Health Department during the week-end. They came from the city, Te Kauwhata, Rotorua, Hamilton, and Pukekohe. The case from the last-mentioned place Droved fatal. This makes a total of 27 cases and six deaths in the province for the month of July. t i July 13. Eight cases of pneumonic influenza were notified to the Auckland Health Office to-day. Three of the cases occurred in the city, one at Mount Eden, and five in the country. One death of an old case occurred at Rotorua. The noticeable feature about the Auckland notifications is that the majority of the cases have occurred among people • in middle life, and also among old people. The deaths especially have been among the latter. Very few children of school age have been included in the notifications, but the ordinary mild form of influenza is not a notifiable disease. Up to the present only one school, which is in a small country district out of Te Aroha. has been closed owing to poor attendance. The reduced roll call was due to influenza and whooping cough, The attendances have fallen off in various schools of the Auckland district owing to influenza and colds, but the city schools do not appear to be seriously affected. In the North Auckland district two small schools have been closed on account of whooping cough. July 17. Four deaths of pneumonic influenza and two new cases have been reported during the past 24 hours. THE POSITION SUMMARISED. WELLINGTON. July 15. In the House of Representatives to-day Mr P. Fraser (Wellington Central) asked the Minister of Health for the latest information about the influenza epidemic. He stated that there were rather alarming reports appearing ‘in the press. There appeared to be a certain number of fatal cases of the pneumonic type, and there was a certain amount of uneasiness and anxiety to know the exact position. He asked if' the department was co-operating with the local authorities in regard to hygiene, cleaning up the tow T ns, etc. “For fully two months past,” said the Minister, “owing to advices received of the influenza epidemic in the Northern Hemisphere, all medical officers of health have been in close touch with local authorities, hospital boards, and the medical profession in preparation for an epidemic. lam assured that all arrangements have been made to set up emergency committees if they should be necessary. Catarrhal influenza has now been prevalent for two months throughout the Dominion, but there is reason to believe that its incidence Is now beginning to diminish. The number of deatlis from pneumonia has fortunately been low considering the frequency of influenza attacks. In epidemic periods it is customary to add together the deaths from acute pneumonia and inflnenaal pneumonia in order to ensure that no deaths or channels of infection are being missed.” “During the last five years,” proceeded the Minister, “the average weekly number of deaths from influenzal pneumonia has been four, and from acute pneumonia eight —a total of 12. In this epidemic from May 31 last until Monday, July 12, the total deaths have been:—lnfluenzal pneumonia 23, acute pneumonia 47; total, 70. “As a basts of comparison' take the epidemic of July to October, 1925. During these three months there was a weekly average throughout the Dominion of 16 from influenzal pneumonia and eight from acute pneumonia, or a weekly average of 24 The department is, therefore, of the opinion that the Dominion is escaping lightly aa regards this epidemic, and every precaution is being taken ” The Hop. Mr Young said that every day he received telegraphic information from all parts of New Zealand of the notifications of cases and of deaths for the previous 24 hours. The returns of Influenzal pneumonia for the period which ended at noon to-day were:—

Auckland.—Five notifications, one death. Wellington.—Two notifications, two deaths. Christchurch. —Four notifications, one death. Dunedin.—MU. The Minister added that the tojal fif notifications and deaths throughout the Dominion from the pueumonic type of Influenza during the present epidemic was 171 cases and 33 deaths. MARTON SCHOOL CLOSED. MARTON, July 16. Owing to the spread of mild influenza among school children, the High School, accommodating 400, haß been closed. There are no serious cases in this district, though many persons are laid lip. WANGANUI ‘ WANGANUI, July 12 The doctors are having a busy time owing to the prevalence of heavy colds bordering on influenza. To-day three pneumonic cases of influenza were recorded. School attendances are seriously affected. CHRISTCHURCH CHRISTCHURCH, July 12. Twenty-seven cases of pneumonic influenza were reported to the district health officer for the week ended at noon to-day. There were five deaths. Now that the wave of influenza seems to be declining medical men say emphatically tliers is a danger of a further wave. They predict another outbreak in the spring of a more virulent nature than at present. “Usually there is more than one wave of influenza at a time,” said one medical man. “ The extent of the second wave depends, of course, on the number who were unaffected by the first outbreak. People attacked on the present occasion should have immunity,- but a big proportion of the public still is susceptible. I- expect that the form of the disease will be more virulent in the second wave.” Another medical man pointed out that while a further outcrop of influenza was very possible, about August or September the weather then would be warmer, so that there should be fewer cases of pneumonia or pneumonic influenza than at present. July 13. Nineteen death notices were advertised in the papers to-day. covering the week-end period of Saturday and Sunday. This is an unusually heavy total for the two days, and is probably due to some extent to the toll of influenza among elderly people. The mortality was chiefly among old people Seven of the death notices were of persons 80 years or over; two were 79; and four were between 60 and 70. In three cases of adults the ages were not stated. “There is no increase in the influenza outbreak. It is easing down gradually.” That was the encouragng review of. the position given by the Medical Officer of Health (Dr T. Telford}. The wet morning did not prompt many of the schools to open to-day. To-day there were five cases of pneumonic influenza and two deaths were reported. One death was in the city and the other in Riccarton. Three of the pneumonic cases have been reported from the city, one from Lyttelton and one from Riccarton. This morning the secretary of the Canterbury Education Board (Mr C. R Kirk) said that many of the schools were still closed, and the Fendalton School would probably close to-day until' the end of the week. Some of the teachers there are down with the complaint. At Sydenham only about 400 out of 1000 children attended, and both this school and Spreydon West will close down unless fine weather comes. July 14. In a statement made Dr T. F. Telford, District Health Officer, said that the number of serious influenza cases was stationary in the meantime. The pimple phase of the disease was diminishing considerably, and therefore the chances of an increase of the severe type should shortly show a corresponding diminution. July 15. The notifications of pneumonic cases of influenza for the 24 hours ended at noon to-day showed a distinct decrease,* four being reported, two in the city and one each in Riccarton and Sumner. One death occurred in the city. The sickness is still general, however, and, although the epidemic, as affecting the children, may be abating, the number of adults, either ill or making slow recovery, is still very large. All the schools will be reopened on Monday. July 16. The attendance of children at picture theatres during the inflfluenza epidemics was brought before the Canterbury Education Board to-day by Mr C. S. Thompson, w'ho moved that the Minister of Public Health should be asked to givd power to prohibit children of school age from attending picture theatres and other places in circumstances similar to those that prevailed recently. The motion was supported by Mr W. H. Winsor and carried. The Appointments Committee reported to the board that representations had been made to the Health Department regarding the prohibition of children from attending picture theatres. Dr Telford had replied that he had no power to accede to the request It was decided that in cases where schools fouud it necessary to close for a third week during the present epidemic no term holidays should be taken in August INVERCARGILL INVERCARGILL, July 13. Influenza still retains its mild form in Invercargill. No pneumonic cases have been reported. In the schools influenza gives way to measles, and in the Middle School one-third of the pupils is affected with the latter complaint. NELSON PRACTICALLY FREE. NELSON. July 14. Nelson is not affected by the epidemic. The usual winter colds are fairly prevalent. The school attendances are normal. There has been one fatalcAse of pneumonic influenza. A patiflnt in hospital, died three days after arrival from Christchurch.