immediately thereafter the mass vaccination campaign against diphtheria. using Alum Precipitated Toxoid, was started. This continued until the middle of January 1958 because of the continuing high incidence of diphtheria in the Colony. In between these campaigns, vaccination Leams covered the New Territories, the fishing population and revisited the resettlement and other congested districts in the Colony.
109. Appendix 3 sets out the total numbers of prophylactic im- munizations carried out during the year.
PORT HEALTH
130. The Port Health Administration is responsible for the preven- tion of the importation of infectious diseases into the Colony by sea, land, and air; for the sanitary control of the port areas and the airport; For the carrying out of the provisions of the International Sanitary Regulations as embodied in the Quarantine and Prevention of Diseases Ordinance; for the compilation of epidemiological statistics and reports and for organizing prophylactic vaccination campaigns. The work is also governed by the Hong Kong Merchant Shipping Ordinance, the Vaccination Ordinance and the Asiatic Emigration Ordinance.
111. Passengers and crews of incoming vessels were inspected al the two Quarantine Anchorages in Kowloon Bay and off Stonecutters Island, arrivals by air were inspected at Kai Tak Airport, and persons entering by the land frontier were checked at the Lo Wu Station Quarantine Post.
112. In the absence of epidemiological information from the Chinese Mainland it was considered advisable to continue to regard all nearby Chinese ports as being infected with the more prevalent of the quaran- tinable diseases which are considered to be endemic in the area.
113. During the year the staff was increased by eight Public Vaccina- tors for duties in the New Territories and in Schools.
114. One Senior Health Inspector, two Health Inspectors, one Fumigator and two Rai-Searchers carried out the fumigation and disinsecting of cargo and ships; they also undertook sanitary duties in the port area and airport, including the collection and despatch of water samples to the Pathology Institute for bacteriological examination,
115. Four launches and one fumigation barge were allotted by the Marine Department for Port Health work. The four launches had radio telephones installed on board and carried first aid equipment. In addition to routine work in the port area they provided an ambulance
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service and were frequently used by the Medical Department for mis- cellaneous duties arising mainly from new commitments in the outlying islands.
116. 5,015 ships carrying 70,993 passengers and 245,605 crew were inspected at the Quarantine Anchorages during the year as against 4,543 ships, 67,076 passengers and 233,378 crew in 1956. 462 persons required to be vaccinated against smallpox before disembarking and 465 against cholera. Nineteen cases of non-quarantinable infectious discases were found on board ships and their treatment arranged. 167 ships were granted radio pratique and 514 ships allowed free pratique.
117. Passengers and crew of aircraft arriving from infected areas were inspected at Kai Tak Airport. The routine spraying of all aircraft with insecticide before arrival was insisted upon. There was an increase in air traffic during the year but fewer passengers arrived from infected areas. A total of 22.903 passengers was inspected as against 23,660 in 1956.
118. 686,198 persons entered the Colony by the land frontier station at Lo Wu as compared with 666,365 in 1956. Of these 365,241 were vaccinated against smallpox.
119. During the year the routine vaccination of all arrivals at the land frontier was discontinued and was confined to those new arrivals who were without Police re-entry permits for Hong Kong; this procedure resulted in a speedier passage through the frontier formalities for all passengers.
120. In accordance with the Asiatic Emigration Ordinance, an inspection was carried out of all vessels carrying over twenty unberthed passengers travelling as emigrants, sixty four ships carrying 12,813 emigrants were inspected during the year as against sixty two ships with 10,173 emigrants in 1956 and fifty nine ships with 6,389 emigrants in 1955.
121. Although no longer required for International voyages. Bills of Health continued to be sought by masters of vessels. 1,861 Bills of Health were issued as against a total of 1,823 in 1956. Revenue from this source was $18,610.
122. Forty one ships were fumigated with sulphur dioxide, thirty seven with cyanide and 170 were granted exemptions. The fumigation staff also carried out the disinsecting of vessels and the fumigation of cargo in lighters.
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