INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 283, 24 August 1920, Page 4

INFECTIOUS DISEASES

MEASLES STILL ON THE INCREASE. Th« figures for the week ending noon yesterday record an increase of 32 cases of infectious diseases in tho Wellington publio health, district icompared jvith the total for flhe previous week. The increase is due entirely to another big jump in the number of cases of measles reported, 143 notifications having been received during the week, as against 98 for the week ended Augustl ID. On tho other hand no fresh cases are reported oi cerebrospinal meningitis, infantile paralysis, lethargic encephalitis, and chicken-pox. In all VU cases of various diseases were reported for the week being, distributed as follow.— Waipawa hospital district Pneumonia 2. Palmerston North: Diphtheria 1, influenza 1, measles 26, varicella (onioken-pox) 4. Wellington: Scarlet fever i, diphtheria 5, tuberculosis 1' pneumonia. 6, measles 117,' varicella 1 Wairarapa: Diphtheria 2, tuberculosis 1, puorperal septicaemia 1. Nelson: Searlet fever 5, diplrlheria 4, pneumonia 1. Tho following table gives details of the cases notified, the figures for the previous week being shown for the'purpose of comparison i— Last Previous „ , week. week'. Scarlet fever 1 fj .Diphtheria 12 U Tuberculosis 2 4 Puerperal septicaemia .... 1 — • Influenza 1 4 Pneumonia ' ~, 9 10 Measles 143 98 Varicella 5 >-* Cerchro-spinal meningitis — 8 Infantilo paralysis — 1 Lethargic encephalitis .... — 1 Chickeavpox ,•„, — 2 „ Totals ;. m 142 Speaking to a Dominion reporter' the District Health Officer (Dr. Fnris) stated thaH practising medical men with whom he had com? in contact during the week assured him that the prevailing epidemic of measles was of a, mild type. Parents would be well" advised to keep a child in bed 1 during the febrile stage in order to lessen any chance of Me. most serious complieations-rbronohitifl and broncho-pneuraonia-setting in, If a child suffering; from measles was confined to his bed and kept warm, there was little likelihood of comnlifcations supervening. Dr. Faris added that measles were being taken off the notifiable list as from yesterday, it being considered that notification was of doubtful value in arresting the spread of the disease.

INFLUENZA IN AUCKLAND.

By Telwrraim-Prpjs Ansocin.tlnn Auckland, August 23. Owing to the prevalence of influenza amotig children in. the western suburbs of tho city, the Richmond Eoad, Bayfield and Ponsonby publio 6ohooh» have been closed for this week.