Salt Lake Telegram | 1932-12-20 | Page 1 | Outbreak of Flu Sweeps over Nation

OUTBREAK OF FLU SWEEPS OVER NATION Wave of Disease Claims Death Toll of 94 in Ten Cities SCHOOLS ARE CLOSED Salt Lake F Fatalities Show Increase During Week Br United run Pres WASHINGTON Dec Dee 20 A 20 A nationwide nation nationwide wide wave of Influenza resulted in 94 deaths in 10 cities during the week ended December 17 as compared with 38 for the preceding week vital sta statistics of the census bureau showed today oday Preliminary reports showed that the he case and death rates have increased increased in in- creased steadily during the past four weeks with the outbreaks reaching epidemic proportions in southern states Ohio and Pennsylvania a also are suf suf- cring fering acute acutely from influenza and pneumonia A number of ot schools have been een closed in both states Pittsburgh had 60 deaths from pneumonia during the tie week ended December 10 as ascom com com- oared Dared with 19 and 17 deaths respectively for the preceding weeks Influenza deaths in Pittsburgh for forthe forthe forthe the week ended December 10 numbered numbered num num- 12 as compared with 5 3 and 1 I Ifor for the preceding weeks Officials of ot the public health service service ser sere vice said that the strain of the present pres pres- ent ant epidemic apparently is not as virulent as in past outbreaks and that tha widespread precautionary nary measures have be been ri t taken ken These These inc measures h have v kept deaths to a minimum Reports from south states tates showed that the number ot of influenza sufferers sufferers suf suf- had increased as high as s' s per cent in some ome cities during the past two weeks weeks- The following figures show deaths in ten representative cities City I n n nt 30 t a aaa 2 g n a ri P pf g 0 I 0 Birmingham Ala 18 18 2 Cincinnati Ohio 18 18 7 Columbus Ohio 11 11 3 Kansas City City 7 5 3 Memphis Term Tenn 9 9 3 Minneapolis Minn 9 4 Nashville Tenn 7 0 New York City 14 14 12 Philadelphia 6 1 I ISalt Salt alt Lake City Of 7 5 The present influenza wave began on n the Pacific c coast ast a few weeks ago and nd swept eastward and into the south Some medical authorities believed be bc- its rapid spread might be due to o the fact that undernourishment caused aused by poverty and unemployment has las weakened the general resistance of f thousands of persons