51.
Transmission of infection among families and in institutions is a feature of the disease, and as in the past, a few symptomless carriers were detected among members of the same family, or inmates of the same institution. In all, a total of 189 carriers was discovered during investiga- tions of reported cases during the year. All were given appropriate treatment.
Chickenpox
52.
This is generally a common disease among children. During the period under review, a total of 272 cases was notified, almost all being under 15. The seasonal prevalence of the disease being in winter and spring, the earlier part of the year saw an increase in the number of notifications.
Diphtheria
53.
Only one case of the disease was notified during the year, compared with 5 cases recorded in 1972. As a result of annual immunisation drives since 1959, the disease has shown a continuous and steady decline, falling from 2,087 cases in 1959 to one case in 1973. This disease has almost been eradicated.
Enteric Fever
$4.
The number of cases notified was 339, a decrease of 127 cases over the preceding year. The disease was generally mild, and the case fatality rate was less than one per cent. Transmission of infection was frequently associated with neglect in personal and food hygiene. As elsevhere in the world, the peak incidence occurred among children of school age and young adolescents. Free inoculation was offered, and the usual preventive measures enforced, with special attention to environmental and food hygiene, and the control of food premises.
Malaria
55.
considerably.
Measles
The incidence of malaria during recent years has fallen All the 16 cases recorded in 1973 were imported.
56.
A total of 1,034 notifications including 21 deaths of the disease was reported during the year. As shown in Figure 4, the incidence of measles in Hong Kong has in previous years tended to fall into a distinct biennial pattern, with exacerbation of the disease every alternate vinter and spring. Since December 1967, measles vaccine has been available regularly at all government maternal and child health centres, and during campaign periods, the vaccine has also been made available, through mobile teams, to children living in public housing estates, tenement buildings, and other crowded areas. Since the last epidemic in 1966-67, the disease incidence and its mortality have remained low. These results vare due, at least in part, to the avail- ability throughout the year of free vaccine for immunisation, and continuing health education to encourage parents to seek early medical advice.
57.
However, despite the advocation of anti-measles immunisation, this winter say the return of the biennial pattern and an increase in the mumber of cases and deaths, although not as severe as in 1967. Campaigns were stepped up to control measles.
12
NO. OF NOTIFICATIONS
500
2000
1500
FIGURE 4
MONTHLY MEASLES NOTIFICATIONS
1962- MAY 1974
1962
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
23
YEAR
13