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Cerebro-spinal Meningitis

118. There were 36 cases notified with a fatality rate of 72.2%. The majority of the cases occurred in Kowloon. only seven occurring on Hong Kong Island and five in the New Territories. All were sporadic and were brought into hospital late in the disease.

Chickenpox

119. The number of cases notiɓed showed a considerable increase over that of the previous year. The infection was most prevalent in the first 4 months of 1961 when a total of 402 cases was recorded as against 96 for the remaining 8 months of the year,

120. There were 7 fatal cascs, the deaths being attributed to inter- current broncho-pneumonia.

Diphtheria

(2). The intensive immunization campaign which commenced in the autumn of 1959 was continued throughout the year and although there was a further drop in the number of cases notified the decline was less marked than that of the previous year. This could be, in part, attributed to a break in the campaign for a period of 6 weeks during the cholera outbreak when all available staff was diverted for emergency duties,

122. Over 50% of the cases occurred in the densely populated tene- ments and squatter areas of Kowloon. C. Diphtheriae mitis was the pre- dominant causative organism and only in rare instances was an “inter- medius' or a 'gravis' strain isolated.

123. Most of the 1,334 cases were in children under the age of 10 years with the highest incidence in the 0-4 age group. The number of deaths from diphtheria has not shown a fall in parallel with the drop in incidence but the case fatality rate remained low. During 1961 there were 109 deaths attributed to diphtheria, a case fatality rate of 8.2%. 124. Despite the poor response of the population to the facilities for immunization, approximately 60% of the children under the age of 10 years have now been protected and the continuing decline in incidence of the infection gives some encouragement. Another hopeful feature was that 95 carriers were detected amongst case contacts and thereafter ad- mitted to the Infectious Diseases Hospitals for treatment. During the previous year only 35 carriers had been detected.

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Enteric Fever

125. There was a slight drop in the number of cases and deaths notified during the year, there being 742 cases, as compared with 773 during 1960. The incidence rate in the 5-9 and 10-14 age groups remain. ed high accounting for 46.2% of the cases recorded. The case fatality rate was 3.2%. Twenty-six carriers were detected and treated. Of interest was a decline in the incidence of the infection in aceas where the domestic water supply was derived from wells chlorinated during and after the cholera outbreak.

126. Owing to the priority given to diphtheria immunization through- out the year, no intensive prophylactic drive was possible. However, Facilities for inoculation remained freely available to the public and the annual campaign was maintained in schools. Food handlers and the staff of licensed restaurants and eating houses are required to submit to inoculation with T.A.B. vaccine annually.

Malaria

127. There were 812 cases notified with one death recorded during the year. The incidence was highest in the Sai Kung District of the New Territories. Detailed comment is made in paragraphs 198 to 207.

Measles

128. There was a marked increase in incidence and in deaths, the Lotal of 1,727 cases notified being the highest recorded in recent years, The disease reached its peak in February and then gradually declined. No cases were reported in November and only 4 in December. The case fatality rate was 25.2% which high figure is an index of incomplete notification and the delay in bringing severe infections for the treatment of complications.

Poliomyelitis

129. An increase in the number of cases of poliomyelitis was record- ed during the year, most of the cases occurring during the summer with the incidence peak in June. There were 184 cases notified with 39 deaths. The morbidity rate was 5.79 per 100,000 of population and the case fatality rate 21.2 per cent. Children under five years of age accounted for 83.2% of the total morbidity.

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