X1000306-1981-82_Part01 — Page 5

III Communicable Disease

The territory continue to remain free from quarantinable diseas 66 – Although 3 imported cases of cholera were reported during the year, there was no secondary cases due to the application of prompt and effective control measured,

Most of the common childhood communicable diseases like diphtheria, whooping cough, measles and poliomyelitis, etc. had been brought under control. In 1981, 249 cases of measles were notified compared with 1,669 cases in 1980. Measles vaccination campaign continued throughout the year to cover children from the age of one onwards. A total of 65,022 doses of vaccine were given. Three cases of poliomyelitia were confirmed involving children aged 0 to 3. Investigation revieved that these children had not completed their anti-polio immunization schedules. During the year a total of 84,094 doses of Type I vaccine and 157,251 dosse of trivalent vaccine were given covering over some 98% of the local young population under the age of one.

Rubella continued to occur in a sporadic fashion. The rubella immunization programme covering all girls aged 11 to 14 years was actively extended into the community to cover non-immune women of child bearing age. Three main types of influmiza virus were A(H4Nq), A(H2N2) and B are still prevalent in Hong Kong. The number of virus hepatitia cases notified in the year totalled 1.738 cases with 26 deaths.

Following the outbreak of canine rabies, the first in 25 years in October 1980, the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries and the Medical and Health Department took more stringent measure to control the disease. In 1980 and 1981 a total of twenty cases of rabies were confirmed with 3 cases confirmed in human, one in a cat and sixteen in doge

Since the outbreak zone 130,000 daga have been innoculated against rabies and some 100,000 stray or unwanted dogs have been destroyed. The Medical and Health Department have vaccinated a total of 4,344 persone, 16 of them were also given anti-rabien aerum..

In March 1982, three cows from Pokfulam Farm of the Hong Kong Dairy Farm Company were confirmed to have died from Anthrax and in early April two human casea were notified amongst the workers in the farm. Stringent preventive control measures were initiated. The infected areMA were segregated and thoroughly cleansed and disinfected. The workers at risk were put under medical surveillance and precautionary procedures were introduced. The situation was soon brought under control and no further cases were detected since.

In 1981 a total of 62 cases of malaria was reported. There was only one indigenous case involving a soldier who might have contracted the disease during his night stay at the Frontier area. All the other cases were found to be imported cases affecting mainly foreign and local

Tha travellers and refugees from nearby South-East Asian countries. Medical and Health Department together with the Nev Territories Services Department have stepped up antimalarial measures for controlling the rector and the diseas88. Two cases of Japanese B Encephalitis were confirmed in the year and the patients aged 9 and 10 were residenta in the New Territories region.

/A total of

A total of 18 cases of meningococcal meningitis was notified, including one fatal case amongst the Vietnamese refugees in Chi Na Wan Detention Centre. Extensive epidemiologi cal investigation and search for carriers were carried out and appropriate chemotherapy was given to close contacts.

Many gaatroenteritis diseases are still endemic in the region and they occur from time to time in minor outbreaks. There were 175 outbreaks of acute food poisoning involving some 666 people. The commi organisms responsible for these outbreaka included salmonella, Ecoli, staphylococcus aureus and vibroprahaemolyticum. Active case finding and contact tracing were carried out by the regional health staff. Their efforts have helped in limiting the spread of the disease within the community.

Outbreaks of pediculosis infestations were still being reported amangat schools in the urban and rural areas. Regional health staff had conducted a series of screening and treatment programmes in which more than 8,000 children were treated, Health educational activities were alas carried out stressing the importance of maintaining an adequate standard of personal hygiene.

IV Health Services

Tuberculosis and Chest Services

A total of 7,729 cases of tuberculosis were notified representing a rate of 150 per 100,000 population compared with 160 for 1980. The tuberculoaie death rate is 9.5 per 100,000 compared with 10.9 in 1980 and representa about 2.0% of the total registered deaths in the year, Attendances at government chest clinic were 749,759 compared with 837,594 in 1980, a decline of Over 10%. The BCG vaccination rate remains very high, covering over 99.5% of the new borna,

Family Health Service

The Family Health Service operates 40 centres providing a comprehensive health programme for women of child bearing age and children up to five years. Antenatal and postnatal health sessions are conducted for mothers. Immunization programmes are carried out against tuberculosis, diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, poliomyelitis, measles and rubella... During the year, about 90% of the new borns attended the Family Health Centree. The Family Planning Association runs 42 family planning clinica providing the necessary advisory and practical services to women of child bearing age.

The comprehensive

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