INFECTIOUS DISEASE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12506, 19 December 1918, Page 6

INFECTIOUS DISEASE.

ON TROOPSHIP AT WELLINGTON.

ATEN MAY BE RELEASED TO-DAY,

Tlio following mesaago ,l’n«n Base Records, Wellington, was received last night: When a troopship with returning draft No. 200 came into Wellington Harbour thih afternoon it flew the .yellow Hug, indicating the presence on hoard of infectious disease. There are nearly 800 men aboard from various hospitals in England, also a few who return on duty furlough. Ilitso Records staff wont out to the ship to carry out the demobilisation process, but owing to the fact that about a dozen of the soldiers wove suffering from infectious disease, including cases of influenza, mumps and one of malaria, the ship was placed in quarantine by the Public Health Department. The Defence officials kept in fiouch with the health officers so us lo take up their work of discharging noninfocted men as soon as possible and it was arranged that if patients could bo isolated and contacts dealt with .Base Records staff would go out in the evening and work all night to enable the men for distant parts to catch the morning trains. This could not bo done, but as there was n possibility of quarantine being lifted in the morning it was decided to have tho^ staff ready for work on tlio ship at i .a.m. Probably this would permit of the vessel berthing during Thursday afternoon. This delay was quite unexpected as a few days ago a wireless message from the sfiip stated that there were no infectious diseases aboard. DEMOBILISATION IN PROGRESS. The following message from Base Records, Wellington, was received this morning to the message in the morning newspapers, relating to draft Nfj. 200, the.vessel won released from quarantine in time to enable the Bose Records staff to commence the demobilisation process at seven o’clock this morning. The men on board will go mostly to Wellington and Hawke’s Bay. Thero are a few for the South Island and Auckland, but the bulk of the Auckland men returning this month will arrive on December 24. ■ Of the returned draft, comprising 791 officers and men, 780 were passed ns fit. and have been .given Christmas leave. They wore landed this afternoon. The remainder comprised three hospital cases, three cot cases and five V.l). cases.