INFLUENZA POSITION NORMAL IN N.Z.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18787, 17 June 1929, Page 13

INFLUENZA POSITION NORMAL IN N.Z.

Inquiries made from the Department of Health in Wellington show that the influenza position is normal. There is the usual seasonal prevalence of influ enza colds, but the notifications receiv ed by the Department of the severer forms of influenza, as well as of pneu monia, show no tendency towards an increase. The Department, following on the reports from overseas as to the existence of a severe type of influenza, has been keenly on the watch for any increased prevalence or alterations of the severity of type in the Dominion Dealing with the question of periodicity of influenza epidemics, the British Ministry of Health, in a “ Memorandum on Influenza,” states. “Various methods of forecasting the period when influenza is likely to become epidemic have been suggested. The two best known, that of Dr Brownlee postulating a recrudescence at intervals of 33 weeks, and that of Mr Spear, which assumes that epidemics tend to occur at intervals before and after the 35th week of the year, have been considered to give fairly satisfactory results, especially perhaps the latter. But, from the nature of things, having regard to the fact that no such rules could throw any light upon the severity of an epidemic, it must be admitted that our present knowledge of the epidemiology of influenza is insufficient to enable a central authority to give timely warning of the oncoming of a serious epidemic.”