INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 January 1919, Page 5

INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC.

pBBCUBBBNUB 8 !!? |

"'DISCUSSED' BY HEALTH OFPjtCER.

By Telegraph.—Piwm AuociatiM. Wellington, Last Night.

A serious case of influenza was reported here yesterday. Four cases-were reported from Wairoa in the middle of January. V Dr. Watt, district health officer, laid that because of its great virulence, and the fact that so much of its natural food htul been removed by the death of people predisposed or susceptible to contagion, we may not have a recurrence of influenza in New Zealand. However, it is quite on the cards v that the disease may ; recur in the winter. * The district health officer stated that of the whole contingent of EarotongaOa who arrived by the Malta only eight dfc-\ velopod light pneumonia symptoms ,Oa the voyage from Frcmantle, and of them five recovered on the trip, leaving oillyj three affected when the vessel arrived la Wellington. When the health officer vll«( itcd Somes Island on Wednesday only; one case showed a temperature, and nothing serious at that. The three cases aft ' recovering satisfactorily. The men war# not affected "by influenzal pneumonia. all, the symptoms pointing to the Ordift« ary influenza, to which colored racu were predisposed.

THE DANGER OF RECRUDESCENCE. RESPONSIBILITY OF LOt3£ BODIES, Wellington, Last Night. A statement 011 the possible reenrrenfce of influenza was lnade by the Minister of Publie Health to-day. He »aid that * the danger of recrudescence, especially as Australia was now seriously affected/ rendered it desirable that the utmost precautions be taken. The matter Is being, closely watched, and th<t,Chief Health 0f« ficer has been requested to advise district health officers thnt in every ease of notification of disease an enquiry is to be made as to whether the case is new or old. A week or two ago the Minister was alarmed at seeing that there were f)2 influenza notifications for thß Auckland district. Eighty-nine of these wer# sent, in by the same practitioner. For the last week for which reports wfire available—that is, to January 20—tlitta were 59 notifications in the Ilawke'a my district and 70 in Wangauui. Large powers are vested in district health officers, and it is intended that if there is any sign of recrudescence these will ba exercised to the fulj Meantime Beridui obligation rests on the local authorities. If there is a recrudescence and the disease is able to feed oh tiio slum conditions revealed previously it would'be to the everlasting disgrace of the people of' those districts. Things requiring urgent attention were the slum areas in some of the cities, the congestion in boardinghouses, the denning of homes and backyards. The responsibility was twofold; first, on the individual, and secondly on the local authority. Overlapping and dual control cannot ba pleaded now.

IN AUSTRALIA. Received Jan. 30, 10.20 p.m. Sydney, Jan. 30. Four new cases of influenza were reported to-day. Large numbers of people arc already wearing masks. A proclamation restricts assemblage ill hotels and clubs where Ipsa than 230 cubic feet of air space for each person ■ exists. Another proclamation establishes < *wen days' quarantine against travellers from Victoria.

Melbourne, Jan. 30. There were three further deaths froa influenza to-day.