XN000022-1975-04-26 — Page 4

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SATURDAY, APRIL 26, 1975

PUBLIC FURTHER ADVISED TO PAY ATTENTION TO PERSONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE

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HEALTH RETURNS FOR MARCH ISSUED TODAY BY THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT SHOW A FURTHER INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF NOTIFICATIONS OF VIRAL HEPATITIS. A TOTAL OF 160 NOTIFICATIONS WERE RECEIVED DURING THE MONTH, AN INCREASE OF 71 CASES OVER THE PRECEEDING MONTH.

HOWEVER, TYPHOID CASES DROPPED FROM THE PREVIOUS MONTH'S 69

TO 59.

AND

REPORTS OF CHICKENPOX ROSE FROM 89 IN FEBRUARY TO 108 SCARLET FEVER FROM 7 TO 19. THE NUMBER OF BACILLARY DYSENTERY NOTIFICATIONS (26) REMAINED AT ABOUT THE SAME LEVEL AS THE PREVIOUS MONTH.

FOUR CASES OF AMOEBIASES WERE REPORTED, ONE OF CEREBROSPINAL MENINGITIS AND MENINGOCOCCAL INFECTIONS, SEVEN OF FOOD POISONING FOUR OF MEASLES THREE OF OPHTHALMIA NEONATORUM, AND ONE OF TETANUS. A TOTAL OF 1,104 NOTIFICATIONS OF TUBERCULOSIS WERE RECEIVED.

OF THE 48 DEATHS RECORDED DURING MARCH, 40 WERE CAUSED BY TUBERCULOSIS, FIVE BY VIRAL HEPATITIS, ONE BY AMOEBIASIS, ONE BY CEREBROSPINAL MENINGITIS AND MENINGOCOCCAL INFECTIONS, AND ONE BY TETANUS.

THERE WERE NO REPORTS OF POLIOMYELITIS, TETANUS NEONATORUM, AND DIPHTHERIA. THE INCIDENCE OF OTHER COMMUNICABLE DISEASES SHOWED NO APPRECIABLE VARIATION.

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

COMMENTING ON THE INCREASE IN VIRAL HEPATITIS NOTIFICATIONS, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT THE DISEASE, COMMONLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE WARM WEATHER, IS LIKELY TO FURTHER INCREASE IN THE COMING MONTHS WHEN THE WEATHER GETS WARMER.

HE REPEATED THE ADVICE TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC GIVEN EARLIER BY THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES ON THE IMPORTANCE OF STRICT ADHERENCE TO PERSONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANLINESS, WHICH IS MOST ESSENTIAL IN PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF THE GASTRO-INTESTINAL DISEASES AND VIRAL HEPATITIS.

AS THE COMMON TYPE OF VIRAL HEPATITIS IS TRANSMITTED THROUGH CONTAMINATED FOOD AND DRINK, HE URGED THE PUBLIC TO BE EXTRA CAUTIOUS IN THEIR CHOICE OF SUCH.

HE ADVISED THE PUBLIC TO BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN EATING CERTAIN ITEMS OF FOOD, SUCH AS SHELLFISH, CUT FRUITS AND +LEUNG FUN+.

THE SPOKESMAN REMINDED THE PUBLIC TO STRICTLY OBSERVE SIMPLE RULES OF PERSONAL HYGIENE WASHING HANDS BEFORE MEALS AND AFTER VISITS TO TOILETS.

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HE WARNED THAT IMPROPERLY COOKED FOOD COULD CAUSE INFECTION, AND FURTHER ADVISED THAT PROPERLY COOKED FOOD, IF NOT EATEN IMMEDIATELY SHOULD NOT BE LEFT UNCOVERED AND EXPOSED TO

CONTAMINATION.

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