The outbreak virtually ended in June and only five cases were reported in July and thirty-seven between that date and the end of the year, the majority of these last cases coming over as refugees from Kwangtung during the "mopping up" operations already referred to.
The total number of cases for 1933 amounted to 2,327 of whom 1,834 or nearly 79% died.
This constitutes the worst outbreak in the history of the Colony and the heavy case mortality gives some indication of the virulence of the virus.
1,388 of the victims were babies and children of five years and under.
As many as seventy-two were imported cases from Canton, Macao, Shanghai, Swatow, and other China ports.
CHOLERA.
Superimposed on the epidemic of smallpox was a somewhat less serious outbreak of cholera.
The Colony had suffered severely from cholera in 1937 when 1,690 cases and 1,082 deaths were recorded.
Apart from a sporadic case in January, 1938, the Colony was free from the disease until the 25th of May.
The outbreak spread with great rapidity, being aggravated by the thousands of refugees entering the Colony from Canton and other parts of Kwangtung which were infected with the disease and which were being subjected to systematic bombing by Japanese aeroplanes at that time.
The peak was reached by the week ending the 16th of July when sixty-three cases and fifty-three deaths were recorded. Thereafter the numbers affected declined rapidly and less than ten cases were recorded weekly from the end of the second week in November.
In all 547 cases with 364 deaths were recorded giving a case mortality of nearly 67%.
Males were the chief victims and whereas in smallpox the majority of the cases occurred in babies and young children, the age incidence here showed a considerable preponderance in persons of twelve years and over, mainly in adults, only fifty cases being recognized in children of twelve years or less.
Twenty-one cases were imported from various parts of China.
Advantage was taken of the lesson taught in 1937 when the Colony found itself quite unprepared for what proved to be the worst outbreak of cholera it had ever suffered.
Before cases commenced to appear, the general public received detailed warnings through the medium of the Press and through posters and wireless broadcasts as to how to avoid infection, where to obtain free cholera inoculation, and what steps to take on the occurrence of suspected cases of the disease.
The upper blocks of the former prison at Lai Chi Kok were converted into a cholera hospital capable of holding two hundred beds.
Legislation was introduced prohibiting the sale of various foodstuffs and drinks likely to carry infection, and suitable action was taken to limit as far as possible the importation of cases of cholera by sea.
9
The outbreak virtually ended in June and only five cases were reported in July and thirty-seven between that date and the end of the year, the majority of these last cases coming over as refugees from Kwangtung during the "mopping up" operations already referred to.
The total number of cases for 1933 amounted to 2,327 of whom 1,834 or nearly 79% died.
This constitutes the worst outbreak in the history of the Colony and the heavy case mortality gives some indication of the virulence of the virus.
1,388 of the victims were babies and children of five years and under.
As many as seventy-two were imported cases from Canton, Macao, Shanghai, Swatow, and other China ports.
CHOLERA.
Superimposed on the epidemic of smallpox was a somewhat less serious outbreak of cholera.
The Colony had suffered severely from cholera in 1937 when 1,690 cases and 1,082 deaths were recorded.
Apart from a sporadic case in January, 1938, the Colony was free from the disease until the 25th of May.
The outbreak spread with great rapidity, being aggravated by the thousands of refugees entering the Colony from Canton and other parts of Kwangtung which were infected with the disease and which were being subjected to systematic bombing by Japanese aeroplanes at that time)
The peak was reached by the week ending the 16th of July when sixty-three cases and fifty-three deaths were recorded. Thereafter the numbers affected declined rapidly and less than ten cases were recorded weekly from the end of the second week in November.
In all 547 cases with 364 deaths were recorded giving a case mortality of nearly 67%-
Males were the chief victims and whereas in smallpox the majority of the cases occurred in babies and young children, the age incidence here showed a considerable preponderance in persons of twelve years and over, mainly in adults, only fifty cases being recognized in children of twelve years or less.
(Twenty-one cases were imported from various parts of China.
Advantage was taken of the lesson taught in 1937 when the Colony found itself quite unprepared for what proved to be the worse outbreak of cholera it had ever suffered.
Before cases commenced to appear, the general public received detailed warnings through the medium of the Press and through posters and wireless broadcasts as to how to avoid infection, where to obtain free cholera inoculation, and what steps to take on the occurrence of suspected cases of the disease.
The upper blocks of the former prison at Lai Chi Kok were converted into a cholera hospital capable of holding two hundred beds.
Legislation was introduced prohibiting the sale of various foodstuffs and drinks likely to carry infection, and suitable action was taken to limit as far as possible the importation of cases of cholera by sea.
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