General Mortality
12. The marked social and economic changes which have occurred in Hong Kong during the years following the Second World War are reflected in the mortality trends and patterns shown in Figure 2. Im- provements in the general level of public health are demonstrated by the decline in proportionate mortality from infectious, respiratory and intestinal diseases. while the ageing of a relatively young population is reflected by the increasing mortality from neoplastic, neurological and circulatory diseases. 15 years ago deaths from the former disease groups comprised 64.6% of total deaths; the proportion has fallen to 30.7% in 1967. In the latter disease groups the proportion of deaths has risen from 12.9% to 42.1% over the same period.
FIGURE 1
MAJOR TRENDS IN MORTALITY 1952 - 1967
***PIRATOAT
INFRATERUS DESTINAL
tepUGUEL JAM ENDI RENT BYSITEM,
→→→→ NERVOUS BOTIM
NEOPLASTIS
COMMUNICABLE DISEASES
(See tables 13-16)
14. The total number of notifications of communicable diseases during 1967 was 23,742, of which tuberculosis formed 64.2%. Satis- factory progress continued to be made in the control of diphtheria and poliomyelitis but the incidences of dysentery and enteric fever showed little tendency to decline (Figure 3). After its biennial rise in the cold months of 1966-67, the indicence of measles levelled off during the winter months of 1967-68. The Colony remained free from cholera and other quarantinable disease,
FIGURE 3
INCIDENCE OF MAJOR INFECTIOUS DISEASES 1913 - 1957
PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL DEATHS
A
Cholera
TATEL REFORTEL
*1953
PARCHULART OTSENTERY
„OMTERIS FEVER
5# NG M
TEAK
# 醌
T
YEAR
13. The leading causes of death were cancer, diseases of the heart and cerebro-vascular accidents, followed by pneumonia, tuberculosis and all accidents. Deaths from cancer of the lung continued to increase accounting for 19.1% of all cancer deaths in the age group between 40 and 69.
15. Hong Kong was last declared free from cholera infection on 5th December, 1966 and since then no further case of this disease was reported. In view of the continuing prevalence of the disease in nearby countries which are also in regular air and sea communication with Hong Kong, special preventive measures were continued and strict quarantine restrictions were maintained in respect of neighbouring countries declared infected.
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