Monday, September 11, 1972
MORE CHOLERA SAMPLES DETECTED
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Four cholera-positive samples were discovered by the Medical
and Health Department's Institute of Pathology during routine culture
of nightsoil collected between last Thursday night and Friday morning.
The samples came from the Happy Valley and Wan Chai areas, and the
germs were identified as cholera-positive specimens on Saturday.
Other samples of nightsoil in the same areas collected between
Saturday night and Sunday morning were laboratory-tested earlier today,
and two samples were found to contain cholera germs.
Further investigation is continuing.
"No cholera cases have occurred," said Dr. J.K. Craig, Acting
Director of Medical and Health Services, "but this does highlight the need
to maintain the strictest personal and environmental hygiene, especially
during the cholera season,
"We will continue to keep the public informed whenever our routine
examination of nightsoil turns up anything unusual."
The latest cholera-positive samples are the third series to be
discovered during routine examinations of nightsoil this summer. The earlier
samples were found in June and July, and they came from nightsoil collected in
the Shau Kei Wan area.
Dr. Craig repeated warnings about the need to protect food and
water from contamination to prevent an outbreak of cholera during the remainder
of the hot weather this year.
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