CO129-564-4 Cholera epidemic 23-8-1937 - 9-4-1938 — Page 23

REPORT ON THE CHOLERA EPIDEMIC IN

HONG KONG DURING 1937.

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Introduction.

The prevalence of Cholera in the Far East during the early

part of the year 1937 was entirely confined to Siam. The first

cases were reported from Bangkok in the latter part of December

1936, and thereafter a severe epidemic raged throughout the

country, reaching a peak in April 1937 and petering out at the

end of June 1937. In all, the Bangkok epidemic resulted in

1902 cases and 989 deaths. Throughout this period, in some

miraculous manner, French Indo-China, including the ports of

Haiphong and Saigon, escaped this scourge.

Hong Kong declared Bangkok an infected port on account of

Cholera on 20th January 1937, and rescinded the declaration on

7th July 1937, when the epidemic there was considered to be at

an end.

In the early part of July 1937, the incidence of all the

more serious epidemic diseases in the Far East as shown in the

weekly fasiculus from the League of Nations

Eastern Bureau,

Singapore, was extremely small, and Cholera apparently non-

existent.

Initial Warning.

The first intimation that Cholera had broken out in South

China was contained in a letter dated 10th July, 1937, from the

Commissioner of Chinese Maritime Customs at Hoihow, that there

had been reported over 100 cases of Cholera at Hoihow since the

1st July.

On the 15th July, quarantine restrictions were imposed