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INFLUENZA

NO SERIOUS INCREASE

" CREST OF THE WAyE

PASSED"

Tho local health authorities report no serious developments in connection with influenza. The number of cases docs not appear to be increasing at all rapidly, and the proportion of serious cases does not show an advance. The inoculation chamber opened for the use of seamen and .waterside workers is not being used to any largo extent. The men seem to have some doubt about the value of inoculation, in. spite of medical assurances on the point. -The present situation is not considered by tho Health Department to warrant an attempt tn enforce inoculation. The closing of the Public Hospital to visitors is announced.' This step has been taken in order to minimise any dancer that may exist of tho infection of patients, with influenza. Most of the beds in the Hospital are occupied 'by medical and surgical cases, several, of which are of a serious nature. Tt is to avoid exposing such patients to the added risk of influenza that the step has been taken. Relatives of patients dangerously ill will ho notified and admitted in tho usual way, and it is hoped that the restriction placed on other visitors will not be maintained for any length of time. Tho accommodation in the isolation ward, where influenza cases arc being treated, is not severely taxed at present, and.beds are available to meet tho present demand. Th majority of cases are mild, but during the last two weeks there have been a few pneumonic cases. Up to the present no deaths have occurred. A suggestion has been made that nursing assistance should be available for influen7.a patients in cases of necessity. Speaking on this subject yesterday, Hie chairman of tho Wellington, Hospital Board (Mr. F.: Castle) stated that only one or two isolated cases, had been brought under the notice of the board where there was neod for assistance. As far as we cau ascertain," he said, 'thero are not many people who are unable to get assistance. I would be glad it all such cases were reported to me, for I would then have a much better opportunity of renlising the actual position. From tho information at our disposal, there does not ap.iear to be any urgent need for the setting up of vigilance committees. However, I am in consultation with the Health Department, and to-day I intend to communicate with the president of the Wellington section of th,e British Medical Association. Should full inouirios indicate that the time is ripe for a'ction, I will call a conference of those who were at the head of the. vigilance, committees as they existed during the 1918 epidemic. "Tho organisation necessary to cope with a serious epidemic is all ready. Some time ago the 'board decided on a number of places which could be used us ternnorarv hosnitals should the need arise. The r'materinl necessary for fitting out such hospitals is on hand. So far theGeneral Hospital hns been able to cope with tho position without any difficulty, for in most cases the beds are vacated very quickly—much quicker than in the ease with normal hospital cases. It has been found that owing to the severity of tho last epidemic neighbours are not so incited to render assistance as they would be in the case of ordinary sickness, and for that reason the need for organising voluntary.help may be greater. "There is reason to believe that the influenza is less serious this week than, it was last week, but, as I have said before, it is yerv difficult to judge the actual position. "One authoritative opinion is that we have already passed over the crest of Hie present wave. However, we must keep a very careful watch as 'Wellington is an overcrowded city with practically every room a living room. This makes the situation more dangerous. At the present time there is no need for alarm." THREE CASES ON STEAMER JOnN. By TelcEr.iT>li-Frr«3 A^ociation; Wangarwi, February 6. Three cases of influenza were removed from the coastal steamer John. Two of them are reported to be serious. The vessel arrived direct from Timaru yesterday. The watorside'rs refuse to work the ship'until a certificate of health is,given by the port officer, and the ship has been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. The latter operations are in progress, and it is expected that unless further cases develop the ship will be worked to-morrow. Six cases are reported in the town this morning, making nineteen since the beginning of the month. Only a few are classified as serious.

MANY MILD CASKS ABOUT MASTEKTON. . By Telegraph—Special Correspondent. Masterton, February 6. .■ Tletween fifteen and twenty cases of mild influenza were reported in the Mmterton district yesterday, .and twenty on the nrcvious day. All were of the mild tvne. The district health officer (Mr. .T. Cairns) states that a peculiarity of. the outbreak has been the number of children affected. Though fresh case? have been coming in freely of late—the figures for the last dav or two include several Mated notifications—there is every reason to believe that.the crisis of the outbreak has been reached. The schools will not be reopened until opening is advised bv tho Public Health Department. CLOSING OF SCHOOLS

WHAT OF RELIEVING TEACHERS? By TcleffrWh—Pre»» Association Christchurch, February 6. At to-dav's meeting of the Canterbury Education Board the secretary reported that the district health officer's action in suddenly closing tho schools had brought about serious complications, especially in regard to relieving teacher who b'etian work on February 2 before the order was made. At this timo of the year, owing to re6icnations in December, a very large amount of relieving work had been arranged. No fewer than ninety teachers had begun temporary work on February 2. A number of them had come from long distances, while some had been sent over from Christchurch to the West Coast. Were those teachers to be instructed to remain in the vicinity of their respective schools, or were their relievinu* engagements to' be cancelled ? Tho Health Department's order gave no information as to how long the schools would remain closed, this now being dependent upon whether the infliieii7.il decreases or, increases in severity. A meat deal of inconvenience would have been nreveuted, and a large expenditure avoided if the Health Department in Wellington had issued the order earlier or civen tho board somo intimation that such a course might bo taken. In ninny rases permanent teachers had travelled Inn? distances in order to resume their work, while parents generally had also returned from visiting their friends so I that, their children should be ready for school.

The following cases of jnflueiiKi were renorted between noon oli February 2 and noon on February s:—North Auckland, 5 mild; Auckland. 110 mild, G severe; Hawke's Bay, 50 mild; Wellington, 202 mild, 15 pneumonic, i severe; Canterbury, 67 mild; Olago, 27G mi!u, I pneumonic, 15 severe. .

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19200207.2.79

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 114, 7 February 1920, Page 8

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,150

INFLUENZA Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 114, 7 February 1920, Page 8

INFLUENZA Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 114, 7 February 1920, Page 8

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