Influenza epidemic in Dunedin

The procession and crowd celebrating German armistice day in Cathedral Square, Christchurch. - Otago Witness, 20.11.1918.
The procession and crowd celebrating German armistice day in Cathedral Square, Christchurch. - Otago Witness, 20.11.1918.
It seems to be reasonably clear that influenza has become an epidemic in Dunedin. Fortunately the type of the disease in this portion of New Zealand is, as was indeed to be anticipated, less serious than that by which northern provincial districts have been and are being visited.

Nevertheless it has already been attended by a certain amount of mortality, and it is perfectly obvious that it is sufficiently severe to render it highly important that there should be no neglect of precautions on the part of the community.

It is impossible, we fear, to absolve the Public Health Department from all blame in connection with the spreading of the disease throughout the dominion.

It can hardly be a mere coincidence that the disease obtained a footing in New Zealand at the time of the arrival of the mail steamer Niagara, with a considerable number of cases on board, from Vancouver last month, and that it was first reported in Auckland, the port of call in New Zealand for that steamer.

The Public Health Department was apparently not prepared for the introduction of the disease into the dominion, though it should have been warned by reports from other countries of the possibility of it.

At all events its earliest efforts to cope with the malady were marked by feebleness and ineptness, the effect of which has since been to throw upon its officials a serious burden of responsibility.

Even the campaign of publicity which the department has undertaken, with the object of instructing the public in the measures that should be adopted for preventing the spread of the disease was needlessly delayed . . .

Public venues closed

Dr Faris (District Health Officer) has issued a proclamation declaring that all places of public entertainment in the Otago and South health districts such as halls, billiard saloons, shooting galleries, picture theatres, theatres (concerts are included), and places of congregation, such as race meetings and shows, are to be closed for a period of one week as from November 13.

The places specified will therefore be closed for seven days as from and including to-day. During the period of such isolation no person shall enter any such building save for the purpose of cleansing or disinfecting it, or for some purpose directed by the district health officer.

The proclamation will not affect the holding of the second day's races at Winton, as it will not arrive there till today.

Demobilisation delayed

No definite announcement regarding the demobilisation of the troops in camp has yet been made (says our Wellington correspondent). The Minister of Defence stated in the House of Representatives yesterday that the signing of the armistice would not justify demobilisation, but he added a reference to influenza.

The epidemic is the real difficulty.

Plans had been prepared for releasing the men at the rate of 300 per day, and they were actually getting away at the rate of 100 per day under a system of leave for essential workers; but the prevalence of influenza in the camps, the isolation of large bodies of men not actually infected, and the interference with the telegraph and transport services made it impossible to do much in the way of demobilisation.

- ODT, 14.11.1918.

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