MEASLES AND ’FLU

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21088, 14 July 1938, Page 6

MEASLES AND ’FLU

OUTBREAK IN ISLANDS By Telegraph—Press assoclat’or AUCKLAND, July 13. Owing to the discovery of a suspected case of measles among the passengers, the Union Company’s motor ship Matua was placed in quarantine for part of her brief stay at Apia, Samoa, on July 6. The passenger, a middle aged man making the round trip from New Zealand was isolated, but was reported to be well again v/hen he returned to Auckland with the ship to-day. From Apia the Matua proceeded to Suva, which she reached last Saturday. No restrictions were placed on the vessel there, and after they had been medically examined the passengers and crew were allowed on shore. No cases of measles have been reported in the Tonga group or in Samoa according to passengers from Nukualofa and Apia. Fairly strict precautions are being taken at Samoa to see that the disease does not spread there, as it is rea ’-'d that the natives have not a strong resistance to its attacks. Influt r.a in a mild form is said to be prevalent at both Nukualofa and Apia. At Suva a number of cases of measles have been reported, but they are not of a serious nature.

To prevent the possibility of the carriage of measles infection from Ra otonga, where a number of cases have been reported, to the outer islands in the Cook group, the Matua will follow a changed itinerary when she leaves for these islands to-morrow. Normally she calls at Rarotonga, visits the outlying Islands and then returns to port, but on this occasion she will omit the first call.