X1000306-1963-64_Part01 — Page 27

circumscribed rural areas in the New Territories such as Rennie's Mill, the township on Cheung Chau Island, and the Chi Ma Wan Open Prison and the Shek Pik reservair project in the south of Lantau Island.

170. The results of anti-larval operations, as checked by routine adult mosquito catches and larval collections, are satisfactory and the incidence of natural malaria transmission in the controlled areas con- tinues to be virtually nil.

171. In most of the New Territories, control by anti-larval or anti- adult measures is at present impracticable because of the scattered popula- tion, the widespread traditional wet cultivation, and the unprotected continguous borders and islands. The main protection against malaria for disciplined groups stationed in the New Territories consists therefore of such anti-larval measures as may be practicable in their immediate vicinity, screening where possible and chemoprophylaxis.

172.

The cost of control measures during the year was 34 cents per head of population protected.

Incidence of Malaria

173. Malaria is a notifiable disease, and the returns of the past five years are set out in Table 21.

Year

1959

14

KAL

1960

་་

*1961

1962 1963

P

TABLE 21

MALARIA 1939-63

Cases Notified

Devathar

442

833

812

754

377

Y

ww

PIL

1

• the waking of coutine blood smears of all febrile childern of 10 years and youLTI LIET altending Government alloles in the rural areas was beatituted in 1950.

174. The total of 377 cases reported during 1963 was the lowest figure recorded since notification commenced. This reduction was probably a result, at least in part, of the long drought causing a reduction in wet cultivation and hence lessening the extent of mosquito breeding.

175. Of all cases notified 89.1% were from outside the protected area. Of the cases, 47.5% came from the area surrounding the town of Sai Kung on the east coast, 18.3% were from Lantau Island and 13.5% from the Tai Po District. Of the parasites identified 93.3% were P. vivax, 4.2% were P. falciparum and 1.3% were P. malariae.

40

176. Malariometric surveys were continued; spleen and parasite rates amongst children between the ages of two and nine years were deter- mined for nine villages in the New Territories. Spleen rates ranged from 0% to 0.35% and parasite rates from 0% to 14.5%, results which were similar to surveys carried out during previous years.

Laboratory

177. The Bureau Laboratory continued to carry out the routine identification of mosquitoes and the examination of blood smears collected at surveys or submitted from outlying dispensaries. Of 825 A. minimus and 4. Jeyporiensis var, candidiensis and 91 other anopheline species dissected during the year, none were found to contain sporozoites. In addition precipitin tests were carried out to study feeding habits. Other activities of the Bureau included lectures and demonstrations on anti- malaria work to medical students. Health Inspectors and Health Visitors.

SOCIAL HYGIENE SERVICE

178. This service, which is the responsibility of the Social Hygiene Specialist, consists of three branches dealing with dermatology, venereal diseases and leprosy. Facilities for the diagnosis of skin conditions are of considerable importance in the discovery of cases of latent syphilis and of early leprosy. Accordingly, the service is organized to provide nine centres for purely dermatology clinics. In addition there are thirteen social hygiene clinics, where venereal infections and leprosy undergo investigation and treatment, although a number of dermatological cases also attend these clinics. The Wan Chai Hospital provides in-patient accommodation for the treatment of skin discase in women and children and a few beds for male patients are available at the Queen Elizabeth and Lai Chi Kok Hospitals. A small number of patients with skin disease are admitted to the Queen Mary Hospital for teaching purposes.

Venereal Diseases

179. The venereal disease clinics serve members of the public, seamen of all nationalities, women referred from Maternal and Child Health Centres and gynaecological clinics, prison inmates, patients in the Castle Peak Hospital, persons referred from the Medical Examination Board and applicants for emigration to the United States and Canada. Any treatment required is given free of charge. In addition, a large number of dermatological conditions are seen and treated at these clinics. There was a continued rise, in general conformity with world statistics, in the

41

4

HI