Hepatitis Increases in Riverina

22 August 1967The Canberra Times

Tumut infants school pupils yesterday: present 35, absent 384.

Hepatitis has increased substantially this year in seven shires and municipalities throughout the Riverina.

The areas are Narranddera, Tumut, Coolamon, Leeton and Burrangong shires and Wagga and Young municipalities.

The highest incidence was in Tumut Shire, where 21 cases have been notified since July 18, bringing the Tumut total for the year to 30, eight below the highest in the district.

The highest incidence to date for this year was recorded in Narrandera Shire, with 38 cases reported.

A spokesman for the shire health department said this was an increase of 34 on last year's total.

Boycott worked

Despite the Department of Education refusal to close the Tumut infants and primary schools during the outbreak of hepatitis, the boycott has effectively cut attendance by two-thirds.

Only 35 out of 419 pupils attended the infants school today and the primary school was down to 265 students out of 475.

Four new confirmed cases of hepatitis were reported at the infants school bringing the total to 26 pupils and four teachers. 

There were also 14 confirmed cases at the primary and two at the high school.

The school will be closed for slightly more than a fortnight from Friday for the normal break between terms.