SCARLET FEVER

Southland Times, Issue 20648, 21 November 1928, Page 6

SCARLET FEVER

CHRISTCHURCH EPIDEMIC. RESTRICTIONS ON SCHOOLS LIFTED. (Per United Press Association.) Christchurch, November 20. Following a conference held this morning between representatives of the Health Department and the Canterbury Education Board, the restrictions imposed on the attendance of children under ten years of age at schools in the Christchurch metropolitan area have been lifted and the lower classes in the majority of schools will be resumed to-morrow and pupils at several of the schools will be medically examined by officers of the Health Department. Dr. Valintine stated to-day that scarlet fever was a disease which in New Zealand had usually run a course of from two to three years. ,An epidemic about twelve years ago and vne again approximately twelve years before that gave much greater death rates and effects than was the case with the present epidemic which has been running through the Dominion nearly two years and in Christchurch in particular for over one year. In former epidemics, Dr. Valintine added, af many as 90 deaths would occur in one year. Last year throughout the Dominion there were 16 deaths from scarlet fever and up to date ihis year the number was about 20. The reason the Department considered it advisable that a close examination should be made of children attending certain schools was that in addition to clear cases of scarlet fever there were some instances of children with red growths, who, while not suffering severely from the disease, probably were a factor in its spread. It is probable that the school dental clinics will shortly be re-opened.