152
HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT
No change has occurred in the epidemiology of this disease in the Colony from that outlined in last year's Report. The disease among the local population remains essentially 'infantile paralysis' in contrast to the 'young adult' cases in the less immune non-Chinese population. A voluntary scheme for the free vaccination against poliomyelitis of certain categories of Government officers and their families was started in October. Vaccination was offered to children of all Government officers between one and ten years of age, and to all officers and families who had resided in the Colony less than six months. However, overall response to this offer was poor and just over 1,000 persons had requested vaccina- tion by the end of the year, although the number eligible was reckoned to be over 15,000. The vaccine used was from United Kingdom sources. No untoward reactions to the injections were noted and no case of paralytic disease has yet occurred in anyone who has received the vaccine.
Puerperal Fever. Only two notifications with no death were registered during the year as against seven with two deaths in 1956. Deliveries in connexion with these cases were done at home without the help of either a doctor or a midwife. The sick mothers were later removed for treatment to hospital where diagnosis of puerperal fever was made.
Malaria. The incidence lof this disease remained low and fresh infections were reported almost entirely from unpro- tected areas in the New Territories.
447 notifications were received during the year, of which nearly 93% were from the outlying parts of the New Territories. Of cases reported from the urban areas (mostly recurrent cases) the majority gave a history of having visited or worked in the New Territories. No death from malaria was recorded. Control still relies mainly on antilarval measures since methods of malaria eradication would be unsuitable for the Colony's existing circumstances. Areas protected by the present control methods are being extended