the general level of public health are demonstrated by the decline in mortality from infectious, respiratory and intestinal disease, while the ageing of a relatively young population is reflected by the increasing mortality from neoplastic, neurological and circulatory diseases.
11. Of particular note has been the rise in deaths from carcinoma of the lung. These have increased from a mortality rate of 2.0 deaths per 100,000 population in 1951 to 13.6 deaths per 100,000 in 1965, a rate of increase which is more than twice that observed in respect of other neoplastic diseases,
COMMUNICABLE DISEASES
(See tables 12-15)
12. In the field of communicable disease, tuberculosis remains the predominant problem but the prevalence of certain others still gives rise to concern (Figure 3). The total number of notifications of such
CASES REPORTED PER ANNUM
3,500
1,500
1,000
300
Q
1961
*
FIGURE 1
INCIDENCE OF MAJOR INFECTIOUS DISEASES INI-1961
53
I
55
A
IDIPHTHEML
BACILLARY DYSENTERY
150
ENTERIC
FEVER
POLIOMYELITIS
diseases during 1965 was approximately 2,000 more than in the previous year, the increase being merely due to a sleep rise in the notifications of measles, which occurred in epidemic form in the early part of the year. There was also a small rise in the number of poliomyelitis, chickenpox and whooping cough cases.
Cholera
13. For the first time in five years no case of cholera was recorded in the Colony. In view of the continuing incidence of the disease in nearby countries, however, special preventive measures were taken throughout the year and strict quarantine restrictions were maintained in respect of countries which declared themselves infected.
14. Bacteriological investigation continued to be carried out of all specimens sent to government laboratories from all cases of gastro- coteritis attending Government hospitals and clinics as well as daily sampling of night-soil and routine sampling of seawater, well water and foodstuffs hable to be involved in the transmission of the vibrio. All such samples proved to be negative, except on one occasion in January, 1966 when one of the night-soil routes on Hong Kong Island was reported infected. However, subsequent extensive investigation revealed no further positive samples. Investigation on the frequency of isolation of non-agglutinable vibrios is proceeding.
15. A mass immunization campaign against cholera started in April and by the end of the year a total of 1,603,875 inoculations had been given.
Amoebiasis
16. Amoebic dysentery and its sequelae continued to occur sporadi- cally but the extent of community Infection is, as elsewhere, not definitely ascertainable.
Bacillary Dysentery
+
[7. The incidence of this disease showed a decrease when compared with preceding years. As in previous years, the organisms commonly isolated were 5. flexneri and S. sonnei.
18. During investigations of the reported cases, a total of 142 symptomless carriers was discovered and appropriate treatment ad- ministered.
YEAR
5
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