Niagara responsible?
It was, at the time, assumed that the Niagara, a ship containing Prime Minister William Massey and his deputy Joseph Ward, was responsible for bringing the deadly second strain of the influenza virus to New Zealand. The ship had travelled to Auckland from Vancouver and Sans Francisco.
However, further investigation had revealed that that was not actually the case. Six people had died in Auckland of the flu during the three days prior to the Niagara’s arrival. (9) The doctors that had examined the crew members had insisted that their cases were no more severe than those that already existed in Auckland city.
Following the Niagara’s arrival it is true that there was a great increase in the severeness of cases in the city, but this increase in severeness only occurred after two weeks. The time period of two weeks was well outside the 48 hour incubation period of the disease.
The fact remains that six other ships had arrived from Europe and North America to New Zealand, in October 1918, and any one of them could have been responsible for carrying the second strain of the disease to New Zealand.
However, further investigation had revealed that that was not actually the case. Six people had died in Auckland of the flu during the three days prior to the Niagara’s arrival. (9) The doctors that had examined the crew members had insisted that their cases were no more severe than those that already existed in Auckland city.
Following the Niagara’s arrival it is true that there was a great increase in the severeness of cases in the city, but this increase in severeness only occurred after two weeks. The time period of two weeks was well outside the 48 hour incubation period of the disease.
The fact remains that six other ships had arrived from Europe and North America to New Zealand, in October 1918, and any one of them could have been responsible for carrying the second strain of the disease to New Zealand.