HEALTH
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recorded incidence of early infectious syphilis, which rose to its maximum in 1963 and fell steeply in the succeeding three years, remained low in 1967, thus differing from experience in other parts of the world. Latent and late syphilis and gonorrhoea have stayed at comparatively unchanged levels and the incidence of chancroid and lymphogranuloma remained very low. The main- tenance of this satisfactory position is due at least in part to ener- getic epidemic control by contact tracing, follow-up of defaulters and routine, free ante-natal blood tests.
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Leprosy remains only a negligible public health problem in the Colony. Twenty outpatient sessions are held weekly solely for the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. In addition, sessions are held at social hygiene centres in conjunction with the dermatology and venereal disease clinics. Surgical appliances are fitted to patients with limb deformities. Prejudice against employment or rehabilitation of cured leprosy patients is gradually but steadily disappearing and widespread publicity is leading to a more humane and progressive approach to the problem by the community. The Leprosy Mission-Hong Kong Auxiliary, with the aid of a govern- ment subvention, maintains 540 beds at Hei Ling Chau Lepro- sarium where infectious cases are admitted voluntarily. In addition a small number of patients requiring reconstructive operations are accepted.
Malaria continues to be endemic but presents a relatively minor problem, being restricted to certain parts of the uncontrolled rural areas. The majority of cases during the year were reported from the Three Fathoms Cove and Tai Po areas in the New Territories. The important carriers of malaria are Anopheles minimus, found breeding in hill streams, seepages and irrigation ditches, and A. jeyporiensis var. candidiensis, which breeds in rice cultivation, fallow rice fields, pools in rice stubble and water flowing through grass. Other anopheline species found in the Colony play little or no part in malaria transmission. Plasmodium vivax is the predom- inant parasite responsible for the infection.
Malaria prevention in the urban areas is based chiefly on anti- larval measures consisting of training and clearing streams, ditching and oiling. Areas under active control are of the populated portions of the whole of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and New Kowloon,