ENG-1958 — Page 156

126

HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT

at high pressure, fifteen hours a day, from 9 a.m. to midnight and all hospital facilities were strained to the limit.

The overall death rate remained at the abnormally low crude rate of 7.5 deaths per 1,000 of population and the infant mortality rate further declined to 54.3 deaths per 1,000 live births. The number of births continued to increase and maternal mortality returns were the most satisfactory yet recorded in the Colony, the rate being 0.85 deaths per 1,000 total live and still births.

During 1958 severe and extensive outbreaks of cholera in nearby territories constituted a serious threat to the health of Hong Kong. Comprehensive measures to control the introduction of cholera were put into effect by the Government, and the Port Health Authorities_arranged for the quarantine or surveillance of over six hundred persons arriving from infected areas without adequate evidence of protective inoculations against cholera. Over 5,000 lbs. of fresh fruit and other suspected foodstuffs were impounded. It is gratifying to record that these measures were successful and no case of cholera occurred in the Colony. At the same time the Government vaccine laboratory increased production to over a million doses of anti-cholera vaccine so that there was an adequate reserve of vaccine should an outbreak occur.

There was no recurrence of severe epidemic influenza although a considerable number of cases were notified, mainly during the second quarter of the year. The high incidence of diphtheria was the most disappointing feature; the increase noted in the autumn of 1957 continued into the early months of 1958, 694 cases being reported by the end of April. The incidence again began to increase, as it usually does, towards the end of the year, but not to the same extent as in the autumn of 1957. A total of 1,555 cases of diphtheria were recorded for the whole year. The anti- diphtheria campaigns conducted did not at first receive the usual gratifying response although, following an intensification of propa- ganda, this improved later. The unfortunate record of the year in respect of this disease may be ascribed largely to the reluctance of the population to avail themselves of the free services offered for the protection of their children. Fortunately modern methods of treatment saved the vast majority of cases, which occurred mainly amongst infants and pre-school-age children who had not been vaccinated or had only received one injection. There were