INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 December 1918, Page 2

INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC.

.PER PRESS ASSOCIATION. COPYRIGHT.; THE NAVUA’S INFLUENZA. WELLINGTON, This Day. Influenza broke ou-t on tho s.s. Navua between Frisco and Papeete. Tho first death was of K. Edwards, a single seaman, whose parents live at Christchurch. In quarantine, at Papeete, J. Penman (second Engineer) a Maori, and two native members of the crew died and about 25 others were affected. The natives on the island were hady affectod and ran away and shut thcmselvesln huts, where it is estimated 50 deaths occurred. The drug supply was limited, but were afterwards replenished from arriving ships. All three doctors wero down . THE V.D. PATIENTS. WELLINGTON, This Day. Sir Janies Allen says the statements re V.I). patients transferred to camps are greatly exaggerated. Instead ol 200, there were only 36 and the disease is not in an aggravated form as alleged The Minister says that none of the worst forms were encountered. The disease is easily cured when taken early, and modern methods have improved the ATeatment so that aggravated cases are seldom seen. No patient is discharged from New Zealand hospitals till cured. Of the 36, twenty-five had recovered and eleven were convalescent. Five others who had influenza were left behind in. Otago. The Minister scouts tho idea that some of the men were believed to he killed or missing because their parents were not informed of tlio facts. DOUBTFUL FIGURES. WELLINGTON, This Day. Figures given by Hon. G. W. Russell for "Wellington do not tally with others published for November alone. There wero 721 burials against 63 last year, which for that month alone makes the deaths over a hundred more than the Minister’s statement. FLUDEMIC at SUVA. (Received This Day at 10.35. a.m.) SUVA Dec, 20. Suva is now almost-clear of influenza. \ Some country districts are improving, 1 but in others the epidemic is still virulent. The European deaths number about sixtv. It Is impossible to estimate tho Fijian and Indian mortality, but it must ho heavy.