Sir,
Enclosure.
RECO
REO 31 JUL 19
157
Sanitary Board Offices
Hongkong, 14th June, 1899.
I have the honour to submit, for the information of His Excellency the Governor, the following report, upon the outbreak of Bubonic Plague during this year, to date.
The total number of cases reported (to the 18th instant) has been 706, of which 622 occurred in the City of Victoria, the number of deaths in the City has been 564, giving a mortality of just over 90 per cent.
The first case was reported on January 17th from 21 Albany St. Wanchai (No. 2 Health District); the second case also occurred in Wanchai but not until February 28th (six weeks later), and on the same date a case was reported from Sheung Fung Lane (No. 9 Health District).
During March 25 cases were reported, eight of which were in No. 9 District, five in Wanchai and two outside the City.
I could obtain no evidence as to the importation of any of these earlier cases, but I have very little doubt that the occurrence of the Annual Race meeting on February 21st, 22nd, and 23rd, was, as in former years, largely responsible for the sudden increase in the number of cases during the month of March. The Race Meeting unfortunately attracts hundreds of Chinese of the worst and dirtiest class from the mainland, owing to the opportunities for gambling which then obtain, and many of them doubtless come from infected centres and leave behind them a legacy of Plague and Smallpox germs in the dwellings which they have temporarily occupied.
On. J.H.Stewart, Lockhart,
Colonial Secretary.