INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC

Otago Witness, Issue 3804, 8 February 1927, Page 51

INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC

AUSTRALIAN OFFICIALS CONFER. SYDNEY, February 1. Dr Dick, Director-general of Public Health, who has returned from a meeting of the Federal Health Council at Melbourne, said that the council discussed the influenza epidemic which is raging in Europe, but it decided that at present there was no cause for any unusual p l ’®- parations to meet a serious outbreak in Australia. POSITION IN EUROPE. ' REPORTS FROM CONTINENT. WELLINGTON,- February 1U The latest official information received bv the Department of Health in regard to the influenza epidemic in Europe is contained in a cablegram from the High Commissioner, dated, London, January 26 -It is to the effect that there is still'a prevalence of influenza throughout Great Britain, The figures for the 105 great towns,"' including London, show 470 deaths for' the ( week ending January 22. The deaths for the previous week numbered 326. In greater London the deaths were 351, as compared with 233 for the preceding seven days. The north-west of England was stated to be comparatively free from the disease, but in the Midlands there has been a slight increases. In the south and other districts, however, there are grounds for hoping that the epidemic is nearing its maximum. The notifications of pneu- < monia numbered 1886, of which 377 were in London, showing practically no change from the preceding week. > The latest continental reports indicate that there was no increase of the disease in Germany There has been a slight increase in Austria. In Denmark the disease has been rather prevalent, but only two deaths had occurred in Copenhagen. The epidemic in Paris was reported to, .be ’ on the decline. In Greece, the whole country was affected in a very mild form. In the Netherlands the disease showed- a tendency to diminish. In Switzerland the district first affected showed a decrease, but the disease is still fairly prevalent. Russia was reported to be free from the epidemic. Advices received from the League of Nations office, via Australia, are to the effect that the epidemic is definitelv mild,' the complications being confined mainly to children and elderly people. ' , i SALE OF WHISKY INCREASES. , ’ January 31... Publicans report that the sales of whisky increased three-fold during January in consequence of the influenza epidemic. • ;