INFLUENZA.

Colonist, Volume LXII, Issue 15239, 28 November 1919, Page 3

INFLUENZA.

OFFICIAL FIGURES

r United Pkkss Association. 1

Wellington, Nov. 27

Twenty-seven fresh cases of influenzawere notified in the Wellington health district between November 23rd and "7th, with one exception all being mild. Interviewed, Dr. Makgill, ActingChief Health Officer, stated that there was a slight recrudescence of influenza, of the ordinary type, affecting parts of the Auckland and Wellington districts. "The position is in no way alarming," he added. "The cases show no tendency to revert to the severe type of last year. There is very slight evidence of recrudescence in Christchurch, and none at; all in Otago or Southland. At this timoj of the year there is gonerally a goodj deal of catarrh prevalent. Probably, the present situation is no worse than what ifc is every year. As wo have never before had notifications of influenza at our disposal, we have no means of comparing this year's figures with those of previous years. The Registrar-General's statistics as to deaths show that during the spring months pneumonic complications are somewhat prevalent. These are to-day's notifications up to noon:— "Auckland province (including Waikato), 11 cases, of which 2 are severe. "Wellington province (including Hawke's Bay, Taranaki and Nelson), 10 cases, of which 1 is severe. "Canterbury (including Westland), 6 cases, of which 1 is severe. "Otago and Southland, no cases. "That shows that all through the Dominion there were only 27 cases notified to-day, of which 4 arc of the severe typo. We cannot say, therefore, £hat there is any epidemic. Some of the cases recently "notified indicato small outbreaks of influenza in schools. A few cases of influenza in schools are a common enough tbing at all times. These will put up our notifications, and cause alarm. Personally/ I have no cause for alarm whatsoever. The department is watching the position closely, and if any reason for doing so arises, precautions will at once be instituted in the way of prohibiting public gatherings."