STILL SERIOUS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18897, 12 January 1927, Page 9

STILL SERIOUS.

INFLUENZA IN EUROPE. MANY DEATHS IN SWITZERLAND. (BT CABLE—PHZSS ASSOCIATIO'C— COPYEIGHT.) (AUSTRALIA:. - Aim v.z, CABLE ASSOCIiTIOX.) GENEVA, January 10. The influenza epidemic continues to be very serious, though the deaths aru chiefly confined to children or aged people. The deaths include an Australian boy, Henrv Moreton, of Brw bane There are 3547 patients at Basle alone WIRELESS BULLETIN lATJ3TEALIAS- AST) V.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.) (Received January llth, 8.50 p.m.) LONDON, January 11. "In response to many . reciueats, notably from the United' States and Australia, a wireless medical bulletin will ha circulated throughout the world from Geneva bv the League of Nations," says the "Daily Chronicle," "giving the latest facts about the influenza epidemic sweeping Europe " NOT 1918 TYPE. A REASSURING MESSAGE. [THE PEESS Special Sarrice.] WELLINGTON, January 11. On Friday last the Hon. Mr Young (Minister for Health) sent a cable message to the High Commissioner, London, drawing his attention to the fact that cable messages published in the Press reported an alarming outbreak of influenza in Europe, and asking the High Commissioner to consult the British Ministry of Health and cable advice as to the distribution and extent of the epidemic and whether the cases were of the 1918 pandemic type, or of a type such a3 was experienced recently in New Zealand, more particularly in the winters of 1920 and 1926.

The Minister for Health to-day received the following reassuring message from the High Commissioner dated London, January 10th. <r Your telegram of January 7th, regarding influenza figures for Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Germany, and Hungary, show no noteworthy increase, but increases are reported from Prance and Switeerland."

"There were 55 deaths in Paris for the fortnight ending December 11th, and 150 deaths for the fortnight endin December 25th. In Switzerland there was a large increase in the number of cases from 513 to 4107 for the same period, but there were few deaths in England and Wales. "There have been, as yet, no outbreaks of any magnitude, but as is usual at this timo of the .year, colds are fairly prevalent, though the death returns in the great towns show thai the cases are not of a serious nature. The type so far presents no resemblance to that of 1918, and the mortality is mainly confined to people of advanced age." NOTHING SERIOUS LOCALLY. "Influenza of a very mild type is always present more or less, and at present there is no indication of very -urulent accompanying complications," said Dr. T. Fletcher Telford, Medical Officer of Health, to a representative of The Phess yesterday. . There was no occasion for any alarm, added Dr. Telford, as a vigilant eye was being kept open for any signs of influenza in a bad form.