XN000022-1972-05-13 — Page 3

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Saturday, May 13, 1972

PREVENTION OF ENTERIC DISEASES CAMPAIGN

Organized By The Urban Council

The Urban Council and Urban Services Department's month-long

campaign on the prevention of enteric diseases is underway.

The campaign is being held in view of the approaching of the summer

season when such diseases are most prevalent. It also aims at raising the

alertness of the public towards the danger of enteric diseases as well as

at improving the standard of hygiene in the preparation of food.

Enteric diseases include cholera, dysenteries, typhoid fevers and

food poisoning. Of these, cholera is well known for its acute nature and is dangerous, so as typhoid and dysenteries if medical treatment is not given

in time.

Food poisoning, which is quite common in Hong Kong, however, is

rarely fatal. But it usually involves a large number of people simultaneously

and therefore always arouses a lot of confusion and alarm.

A spokesman for the Urban Services Department pointed out that enteric

diseases attack all age groups.

"Among the 438 cases of typhoid reported last year, more than half of

"Of the 609 the patients were youngsters aged between 10 and 24," he said. cases of dysentery, 40 per cent were children under the age of five."

Although Hong Kong has been free from cholera since 1969, the

spokesman warned that it can be introduced into Hong Kong quite easily since

this disease is always present in certain countries in Southeast Asia.

/Enteric