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HEALTH

During 1961 the annual campaign in schools was maintained because the incidence of enteric fever is high in children between the ages of five and fourteen. However, no intensive prophylactic drive against enteric fever was possible because efforts were con- centrated on the diphtheria immunization campaign. This might have contributed to the increase in the number of cases during the year. Special attention to food handlers and food establishments continued and all carriers detected were isolated and treated.

Poliomyelitis. There was a slight increase in the incidence and mortality returns of this disease which, as in previous years, showed an upward trend during the summer months. Over 67% of the cases were in children under three years of age.

The Dysenteries. In recent years there has been a gradual increase, in step with the increase in population, in the number of cases reported of both amoebiasis and bacillary dysentery. In 1961, however, there were fewer cases of amoebiasis than in the preceding year, but notifications of bacillary dysentery showed a slight increase.

Health Officers continued to instruct those connected with the handling, preparation and sale of food on ways of preventing these infections.

Measles. There was a marked rise in the incidence of measles, the disease being most prevalent in the first quarter of the year. The case fatality rate continued to be high, as in previous years, again indicating that notifications of this infection are incomplete. Deaths were almost entirely due to severe bronchopneumonia, which was usually encountered too late for treatment to be effective.

Other Communicable Diseases. Notifications of chickenpox showed a considerable increase, the infection being most prevalent during the first four months of the year.

Notifications of influenza, which have been made on a voluntary basis since the pandemic of 1957, showed a slight increase in 1961. Only two cases of puerperal fever were reported during the year.

HEALTH SERVICES

Port Health. The Port Health service is responsible for the enforcement of the provisions of the International Sanitary

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