INFLUENZA

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 12, 16 August 1946, Page 5

INFLUENZA

SERIOUS OUTBREAK SCHOOL ATTENDANCE AFFECTED The influenza outbreak which is at present being experienced l throughout a number of towns, particularly in the North Island, has not overlooked Whakatane, where during the past week, a large number of cases have been noted.

In the business section of the community, the staffs of a number of the establishments are depleted, in some cases, several members of the same business house being absent. In others, the employers have been the unfortunate ones, and employees are carrying on until the ‘bosses’ are well enough to resume work. The schools of the district have also suffered severely depleted rolls during the past week. In Whakatane, yesterday’s totals showed 33 pupils away from the High School (total roll of 200), and 123 pupils away from the Primary School (total roll 520). The staff has also been affected, one teacher having been absent and returned, and two others at present being absent. The position has not yet started to improve, the number of pupils away on each succeeding day showing a marked increase. That the Whakatane school is not alone in losing pupils is shown by a report in a recent issue of the King Country Chronicle (Te Kuiti) stating that the attendance at the schools in that town has been affected by both influenza and chicken pox, and to a certain degree, mumps. In this centre, the average attendance in the primary department for the past week has been 48 per cent, of the total on the roll, whilst the secondary department is averaging only a little better with 60 per cent. Six members of the staff have been absent for periods ranging from a day to a whole week.