Originally Posted by
bob10
It's true pandemics have been with us for centuries. In 1918, at the end of WW2, the worst pandemic since the Black Death [great Bubonic Plague of 1346-1353, killed an estimated 75-200 million] the 1918-19 influenza pandemic killed more than 50 million people, 40% of the Australian population [ 5 million ] fell sick and 15,000 died. The influenza pandemic is accepted as originating in the USA, in 1917, and taken to France with US troops.
The first infected ship to enter Australian waters was the SS Mataram , entering Darwin 18 October 1918.Over the next six months the quarantine services intercepted 323 vessels, 174 of which carried the infection. Of the 81,510 people who were checked , 1,102 were infected.
The Federal Government held a national influenza planning conference, in Melbourne during 26-27 November 1918 , where State health ministers, the Directors-general of their health departments and British Medical Association representatives met to discuss what action was to be taken . The conference agreed that the federal government would take responsibility for proclaiming which states were infected along with organising maritime and land quarantine. The states would arrange emergency hospitals , vaccination depots , ambulance services , medical staff and public awareness measures. All states had quarantine stations [ North Head in NSW, Point Nepean in Victoria, Bruny Island in Tasmania, Torrens Island in South Australia, Woodman Point in WA, and Lytton in Brisbane. More were planned , and in due course temporary quarantine stations and influenza hospitals were set up to handle the increasing number of infected Australians.
Additionally the Commonwealth Serum Laboratories , that had been established during the war to alleviate Aus. dependence on imported vaccines developed its first experimental pneumonic influenza vaccine, between 15 October 1918 and 15 March 1919 over 3 million doses were given to returning soldiers and sailors and the civilian population. The vaccine was deemed partially effective in preventing death to inoculated individuals.
The first recorded case of pneumonic influenza appeared in Melbourne on 9/10 January 1919, but the disease may have reached Victoria before then as there was delay in the Victorian government advising Federal authorities . This allowed the infection to spread to NSW and SA by the end of Jan. 1919. NSW was the first state to officially proclaim an outbreak of pneumonic influenza on 27 Jan. 1919, Victoria declaring an outbreak the following day.
The Australian Navy was part of the solution to the pandemic. In late November 1918 news was received that the pandemic had struck Samoa, [ controlled by NZ , formerly a German colony,] Fiji and Tonga, [both British protectorates. ] Britain and NZ requested immediate assistance from Australia, [ the pandemic had struck NZ in October 1918, resulting in several thousands of deaths and overwhelming the Nations health system.] HMAS encounter embarked Army and Naval medical personnel and equipment to set up field hospitals and all necessary medical equipment and supplies to combat the disease in Samoa and Tonga. In Fiji, the sloop HMAS Fantome, provided support to a NZ medical team . The disease was under control in the islands by Jan- Feb.. 1919. HMAS Sleuth, a patrol vessel stood off the North Head quarantine station monitoring ships in quarantine to prevent soldiers and passengers " breaking out' from the quarantine station , and ships in quarantine. Over 160,000 Aus. military personnel returned from Europe and the Middle East from DEC 1918 until Sep. 1919, many with wives and children.
In conclusion, the measures employed in each state [ mandatory wearing of masks and prevention of mass gatherings] did not stop the disease but did dramatically slow its spread. By the end of 1919 the pandemic was over. The bulk of Aus. deaths occurred in capital cities where the population was more densely housed, particularly in working class slums with lower standards of health, hygiene, and diet.
Considering the international mass transit systems in place in the 21st century, I believe Australia has done reasonably well. The fact that a large part of our infections have come from mistakes, rather than a total systemic failure, should be regarded as remarkable. And our health workers deserve all our praise.
EDIT. Torrens Island is in SA. My bad.
Wizard
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Not listening to fighting pollies - A waste of hot air
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