XN000022-1974-11-25 — Page 6

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1974.

HEALTH REPORT FOR OCTOBER

FURTHER DROP IN INCIDENCE OF MEASLES

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HEALTH RETURNS FOR OCTOBER ISSUED TODAY BY THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT SHOW THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER FALL IN THE INCIDENCE OF MEASLES.

IN SEPTEMBER, THERE WERE TWO NOTIFICATIONS OF THE DISEASE, AND NO DEATHS. LAST MONTH, REPORTED CASES DROPPED TO ONE, AGAIN WITH NO DEATHS.

+THIS IS THE LOWEST MONTHLY FIGURE SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR,+ A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID, AND IT IS VERY GRATIFYING,+

ANOTHER YEAR'S LOW OCCURRED DURING THE MONTH IN THE INCIDENCE OF CHICKENPOX. REPORTED CASES DROPPED FROM NINE IN SEPTEMBER TO SEVEN.

REPORTS OF BACILLARY DYSENTERY DROPPED FROM 34 TO 26, AND ENTERIC FEVER FROM 55 TO 32.

TWO CASES OF CEREBROSPINAL MENINGITIS WERE REPORTED IN OCTOBER, BRINGING THE TOTAL TO 11 SINCE JANUARY 1, 1974.

FOUR CASES OF AMOEBIASIS WERE NOTIFIED, 42 OF FOOD POISONING, ONE OF OPHTHALMIA NEONATORUM, FOUR OF SCRUB TYPHUS, 50 OF VIRAL HEPATITIS, FIVE OF TETANUS, AND ONE OF TETANUS NEONATORUM.

OF THE 72 DEATHS RECORDED' DURING OCTOBER, 64 WERE CAUSED BY TUBERCULOSIS -- AN INCREASE FROM THE 56 DEATHS FROM THE SAME DISEASE RECORDED IN SEPTEMBER -- ONE BY LEPROSY, THREE, BY VIRAL HEPATITIS, THREE BY TETANUS, AND ONE BY TETANUS NEONATORUM.

NO CASES OF DIPHTHERIA WERE NOTIFIED. THE RECORD FOR POLIOMYELITIS ALSO REMAINED CLEAN. THE INCIDENCE OF OTHER COMMUNICABLE DISEASES SHOWED NO APPRECIABLE VARIATION.

DURING THE MONTH, HONG KONG REMAINED FREE FROM CHOLERA AND OTHER QUARANTINABLE DISEASES.

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