MILD FORM OF INFLUENZA

Chronicle (Levin), 12 January 1949, Page 5

MILD FORM OF INFLUENZA

(N.Z.P.A.-

-Reuter*

Spread Of Disease Is Not Alarming

CozajHght )

Received Wednesday, 9.35 a.m. ' PARIS, Jan. 11. The World Health Organisation's Division of Epidemology has reported that -influenza is spreadingjn Europe, hut in a mild form, ahd the situation is not alarming, says the Associated Press correspondent. It has received replies from 12 pf 26 Governments questioned over the weekend. The disease is receding in Italy, where it flrst appeared early, in November, but stiil prevails in a mild clinieal form in Eastern and Northern France d«own fco Limoges and Lyons. The. disease has reached epidemic proporcions in tne southern provinces of the Netherlands and cases oft pneoumonia deaths have been reported. Several thousand cases' have been noted in Vorarlberg andj uhe Tyroi, in Austria. The United States zone of Germany, Spain and Hungary have not' oeen touched. Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark reported no abnormal rise in the incidence of it.compared with the 1948 flgures. Although isolated cases have been observed in England, there is no suggestion of an epidemic prevalence. Turkey reported small iocalised outbreaks in certain towns. The speeial influenza laboratory of the Medical Research Council at Hampstead, London, is attempting to identify the viruses responsible for the epidemic from samples obtained in Italy, France and England. ■