ENG-1950 — Page 69

(b) Enteric fever:

During the summer there was a sharp rise in the number of cases of this disease, incidence of which has been steadily rising since 1946.

Year

Cases

Deaths

Mortality rate

1946

221

115

50%

1947

246

61

25%

1948

311

69

22.2%

1949

408

89

21.8%

1950

907

160

17.6%

The rise during 1950 was definitely associated with areas either congested, frequented by illegal food-hawkers or with overworked, inadequate or absent sanitary services. 98.5% of the cases were Chinese. The disease in Hong Kong is particularly fatal to male adults in the second or third decade of life.

(c) Dysenteries:

Both amoebiasis and bacillary dysentery showed an increase over previous years, there being 177 cases of amoebiasis with 10 deaths, a fatality rate of 5.7%, and 253 cases of bacillary dysentery An additional 5 cases with 14 deaths, giving a fatality rate of 5.5%. were reported but not specified as either amoebic or bacillary. Non-Chinese showed a greater susceptibility than Chinese.

(d) Diphtheria:

In spite of continued prophylactic immunization offered at infant welfare centres and schools, incidence of this disease has markedly increased. There have been 524 cases with 135 deaths, giving a mortality rate of 25.7%, as against 261 cases with 75 deaths, a case fatality of 28.7%, in 1949 during which the incidence was nearly double that of 1948. The mortality rate is distressingly high and affects mainly infants in the second and third year of life. In nearly all cases the children are taken in the first instance to a Chinese herbalist and by the time they reach hospital they are severely toxic or asphyxiated. There is no evidence however that the disease in Hong Kong is unduly grave. Cases treated promptly show a high recovery rate and if the parents could be persuaded to apply to the hospital earlier, many lives could be saved. 98% of the sufferers were Chinese.

(e) Cerebrospinal Meningitis:

The incidence of this disease which fell in 1949 for the second year in succession has slightly increased again and shows a slightly higher mortality. There have been 49 cases with 26 deaths, a case fatality of 53%, as compared with 36 cases and 16 deaths, a case fatality of 44.4%, in 1949. The peak incidence was in October when 10 cases were reported. The incidence of the disease, however, has fallen markedly in recent years.

In 1946, 293 cases were reported with 85 deaths and 566 cases in 1947 with 137 deaths. In Hong Kong the disease affects the Chinese population almost exclusively.

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