XN000022-1974-03-16 — Page 3

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Saturday, March 16, 1974

HEALTH REPORT FOR JANUARY

Incidence Of Measles Continues To Increase

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Health returns for January issued today by the Medical and

Health Department show that 11 children died from measles the highest

number of deaths from the disease recorded for any single month since

June, 1967.

Notifications of measles during the month rose to 367, compared

with 191 in December last year and 129 in November.

Commenting on these figures, a spokesman said they emphasised

the need for parents of susceptible children between six months and five

years to have them immunised,

"Free vaccine is available throughout the year at all maternal

and child health centres," he stressed.

Of the 103 other deaths recorded during January, 99 were caused

by tuberculosis, two by tetanus, one by typhoid, and one by bacillary

dysentery.

There were 18 notifications of bacillary dysentery, a drop from

the 50 cases reported in December. But notifications of chickenpox rose

from 15 in the preceding month to 97. There were no notifications either

of diphtheria or poliomyelitis.

variation.

The incidence of other communicable diseases showed no appreciable

During the month, Hong Kong remained free from cholera and other

quarantinable diseases.

B

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