44.
Mortality from accidents of all types was 29.9 and has displaced tuberculosis as the fifth leading cause of death. In 1961, the rate was 23.3.
45.
The eighth revision of the International Statistical Classi– fication of Diseases, Injuries and Causes of Death, published by the World Health Organization, came into use on January 1, 1969. All registered medical practitioners were supplied with a supplement of the eighth revision, and were requested to ensure that the nomenclature of causes of death given by them on death certificates complied with those in the International Classification.
COMMUNICABLE DISEASES
(Tables 14 17)
A
46.
The total mumber of notifications of communicable diseases during 1973 was 10,412. Of this figure, tuberculosis comprised 78.3 per cent. Satisfactory progress continued to be made in the control of diphtheria, and poliomyelitis. The incidence of bacillary dysentery and enteric fever continued their downward trend. The incidence of these four diseases is illustrated in Figure 3. The number of measles cases and deaths showed an increase compared with 1972, despite the continuing anti-measles vaccination campaign.
Cholera
47.
Cholera has not been reported in Hong Kong since October 1969. Routine sampling of nightsoil for cholera vibrio was carried out on a year- round basis as part of the surveillance programme. Throughout the year, O cholera vibrio was isolated from samples of nightsoil taken routinely from collection routes. Despite this, the public were advised to observe strictly the rules of personal and food hygiene.
48.
No mass immunisation campaign was carried out during the year, but emphasis was placed on the importance of personal, environmental and food hygiene as safeguards, both against cholera and the other intestinal groups of communicable diseases. Strict quarantine restrictions were maintained in respect of countries declared infected.
Amoebiasis
49.
This disease continued to occur endemically, being most prevalent in overcrowded urban areas. A total of 37 cases was notified. The disease remained predominantly one affecting adult men.
Bacillary Dysentery
50.
This disease showed a Further decline in incidence, falling from 462 cases in 1972 to 407 cases in 1973. It affected all ages, but 21.6 per cent of the notifications concerned children under five. Shigella flexneri and Shigella sommei remained the predominant organisms isolated.
10
NO. OF CASES NOTIFIED
2100
2000.
DIPHTHERIA
1500
1000
500
8. DYSENTERY
FIGURE 3
INCIDENCE OF MAJOR INFECTIOUS DISEASES 1959-73
POLIOMYELITIS
ENTERIC FEVER
D
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
YEAR
11
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