INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 16303, 2 December 1918, Page 3

INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC.

REPORTS- FROM ELSEWHERE^

generally favourable.

Per Press- Association;. WELLINGTON, Dec. T. The disorganisation of the Registrar* General’s office makes it impossible to ascertain the vital statistics for November as affected' by the influenza. Tha corporation record of interments at Karori cemetery show 709 as against 94 for October, and 88 for November the previous year, being almost equal to the total for ten months of the year; ended October. , It should be noted that the total cor 4 poration interments are not necessarily an index of influenza mortality, as they include deaths from all other causes, but the figures are regarded as signify cant.

AUCKLAND, Dec. 1. The influenza position is practically normal. Patients are being .rapidly discharged from the temporary hospitals, two of which will be closed t 0 ,4 wards the end of the week. ’ : DUNEDIN j Dec. 1.... Dr. Bowie stated that the position is steadily easing, the improvement being gradual, and no cause for misgivings. There were seventeen- admissions: on. Saturday, including cases from, the outlying districts and a few cases.' on Sunday, also from the outlying districts, which tend to keep the numbers, up.

TO-DAY’S WELLINGTON REPORT.

■ WELLINGTON, Deo. 2. The Wellington telegraph and' telephone services are about back to normal. . . The -work of the various committees which are combatting the influenza epidemic has fallen away very? largely and the most hopeful sign is the increasing number of vacant beds in the * several hospitals. 1 ’.' ~• The children’s home established /temporarily at Miramar- to hbdse orphaned waifs from influenza stricken homes now contains forty little ones.

GOVERNMENT NOTICE.

WITH REGARD TO REOPENING.

WELLINGTON, Nov. 30. ; “ The Hon. G. W. Russell states that,. ■ provided all reports are favourable, maw- , hie bars in the Wellington .and Auckland Health District may. resume up, ; mediately from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. _ i Churches may resume full services oq and after Monday week, December 8. Public sales of liquor in hotels, clubs, - wholesale’ businesses and breweries will resume on the same date. The-closure may again he applied if congestion and , drunkenness occur inimical to the public - j health. . . :i Public meetings may he resumed op; | December 9, stock sales on December 7} vj auction sales on the 9, but no sales of I second-hand clothing and bedding. .1 Schools,‘private and public; ate to re- i main closed until farther notice,, also , picture theatres and other places of pub-, i lie entertainment. .]

HEALTH OFFICER’S REPORT.

ON INFECTION OP MAKURA,

AUCKLAND, Deo. 2. The following statement has been issued by Dr. Frengley: , “I boarded the Makura at the anchorage adjacent to the. Motuihi I®-,, land. It was found that, five persons had contracted measles. Three of these, children, had a mild attack and are,.now quite well. The fourth case, an officer of the ship, has recovered, and - the fifth case was put off at Fiji. No persons or goods were taken on at Suva. No illness was found among the passengers. Unfortunately among the crew five were found suffering from influenza in - some symptoms. These cases have been removed to the caretaker’s house. ; The decision regarding the remaining passengers and crew is, that the ship is quarantined for seven days, that all the passengers and crew undergo zinc, sulphate inhalation at least once daily, that all the W'ell passengers and crew shall perform quarantine on board the ship, that anyone taken sick shall at once ho isolated and removed quickly to the island. The mails are to be taken off to Motuihi and all the hags thoroughly sprayed with formalin. At Motuihi the bags are again to he sprayed and exposed as fully as possible to the air and sunshine.” / 1

! DEATHS AT DANNEYIRKB,

DANNEVIRKE, Dec. t 0. Five adults, including a Maori and two juveniles, have died since Saturday from influenza. Cases are still being reported and admitted to the hospital.

REPORT FROM WAIROA,

WAIROA, Dec. T.

The deaths at the week-end were:] One European aad four Maoris. Another temporary hospital for Maoris has been opened at North Clyde with eighi patients. It is capable of holding 40.

WANGANUI FIGURES.

WANGANUI, Dec. 2.

The influenza situation is still improving. Altogether about 9500 case - have occurred in the town and suburbs. The approximate number of deaths is 95.

HAWERA RESUMES BUSINESS.

HAWERA. Dec. 2.

The town re-opened for business this morning and the epidemic is considered well under control. During the weekend there were nine admissions to the temporary hospital, making 164 to date, At present there are 41 patients in the institution. Only one case is now considered serious. There was one death during the week-end. A census of the epidemic taken on. Saturday showed that in the borough and suburbs there had been 1774 cases, 29 had died, 124 were still in bed, and 277 covalescing.

IMPROVEMENT AT INVERCARGILL.

INVERCARGILL, Dec. 2

There is a very marked improvement locally. The cases in hospital number 00, of whom 40 require special treatment. Deaths from influenza in the Southland and Wallace counties during the epidemic total about T2O. Indications point to a rapid return .to norma].