INFANTILE PARALYSIS

Wanganui Chronicle, 28 November 1947, Page 5

INFANTILE PARALYSIS

MORE CASES REPORTED IN AUCKLAND I KINDERGARTENS AND DAT NURSERIES CLOSED (P.A.) Auckland, Nov. 27 In an effort to prevent the spread ot infantile paralysis the Medical Officer of Health at Auckland (Dr. L. S. Davis) has taken action under the Health Act and ordered the immediate closing of all kindergartens and day nurseries in the district until further notice. The area covers the city and Rodney, Waitemata, Manukau and Franklin counties, and all the boroughs and town districts in or adjoining the counties.

Two further positive cases of poliomyelitis, one at Pukekohe and the other at Auckland, were reported to the Health Department today, bringing the total number of recent cases to eight. They are all in the Auckland Hospital. One of the cases notified today was an adu/t and the other a four-year-old boy. Of the six other victims five are children of school age and the other is an adult. Two suspected cases were admitted to the Auckland Hospital today and one was admitted on Wednesday. The reason for the closing of kindergartens and day nurseries, said Dr. Davis, was that children under five years of age were in the most susceptible age group in poliomyelitis outbreaks. In most epidemics about 50 per cent, of the cases were aged from one to five years. Congestion in kindergartens of children in that age group was, therefore, considered not desirable. He added that in the present outbreak there was no evidence that the attendance at kindergartens had been responsible for the spread of the disease.

The question of the closing of all schools was under constant consideration by the Director-General of Health in Wellington, who was being kept in close touch w’ith the situation, said Dr. Davis. Discussions today between the department in Auckland and the Director-General resulted in a decision not to closet schools tomorrow, but to consider the, question again on Monday in the* light of any fresh circumstances which may have arisen. A final decision could not be given until the situation clarified itself.