INFLUENZA.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18894, 8 January 1927, Page 14

INFLUENZA.

EUROPEAN OUTBREAK. ALARM NOT JUSTIFIED. ' [THE PRESS Speclil SefTic«.] WELLINGTON, January 7. The Minister for Health (Hon. Mr Young) stated to-day that there was no reason to believe that the reported outbreak of influenza on the Continent of Europe was any the seasonal winter recrudescence with which New Zealand was not unfamiliar. "The public will remember," said the Minister, "that we had alarmist reports from Australia last winter, and investigations showed them to be unjustified. In precisely the same manner Australian papers were publishing alarmist reports of the winter influenza epidemic in New Zealand. "At the same time it w!ould be most injudicious on our part not to take note of the recent cable messages from Europe, Therefore, all the Port Health Officers are being advised to keep a vigilant watch on all overseas ships arriving in the Dominion and not to grant pratique in cases where there is any infection on board at the time of arrival, or any history of severe epidemic during the voyage, until the fact has been reported to the Medical Officer of Health and the Director General of Health, and duly considered when it will be decided whether pratique shall be granted or withheld or port quarantine measures be imposed. "In the meantime the Government has cabled .to- the. High Commissioner for New Zealand in London to obtain from the British Ministry of Health full particulars as to the extent and se\ erity of the outbreaks in Europe."