INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 15976, 19 November 1919, Page 2

INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC.

RECRUDESCENCE NOT LIKELY. NECESSITY FOR PRECAUTIONS. (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, November 18. During the week ending November 13th, 31 cases of influenza were reported in the Wellington Health District. Discussing the position with a reporter, Dr. Watt, District Health Officer, pointed to the fact that out of 31 cases notified only three were pneumonic. This was nothing remarkable in the health of a district the size of Wellington. Asked if cases of gastric influenza were prevalent in the district, Dr. Watt replied that only very few had been reported. It was not the type of disease,that was so disastrous last November. He said the gastric form is one of the recognised types of influenza, but it is not a severe manifestation of the disease. During the big epidemic last year there was comparatively little gastric influenza. It had been known in past epidemics, but there was nothing essentially dangerous about it. The dangerous type as we knew it was the pneumonic type of last year. “J still advise that the utmost precautions be taken, though, to prevent any spread of the disease. It is absolutely essential that the advice regarding precautions that has been given from time to time should Be followed. Influenza is a notifiable disease, and the obligation is on the medical attendant or on the householder, in the absence of a medical attendant, tq, report all cases.” Dr. Watt added that there were no signs of a widespread epidemic of influenza, and on the evidence before it the, Department did not anticipate a recurrence of the outbreak of last year.