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II.—NOTIFICATION OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE.
In Table V. of Appendix will be found particulars of infectious
diseases notified during the year under report.
The number of cases notified, exclusive of notifications of
tuberculosis, which numbered 444 was 2,659 compared with 1,885
in 1917 and 935 in 1916. The diseases showing a decrease on the
number for the previous year are diphtheria, erysipelas and
scarlet fever. Those showing an increase are poliomyelitis,
ophthalmia neonatorum, measles and German measles.
The attack rate per thousand inhabitants was 24.5 against
17.5 for 1917.
13 cases were returned from hospital as not suffering from
the disease for which they were notified, but if allowance is made
for mild unreported cases, the recorded notifications would, if
anything, understate the actual number of cases.
Diphtheria.
There were 375 cases of diphtheria notified in 1918 as
against 408 cases in 1917.
The attack-rate per thousand inhabitants was 3.46, against
3.78 in 1917. The case mortality was 6.1 per cent., against 4.4
per cent, in 1917 and 11.6 per cent, in 1916. 8 cases were returned
as not suffering from this disease.
Scarlet Fever.
The notifications of scarlet fever in 1918 were 231 against 300
in 1917.
This is a decrease of 69. The distribution of the disease in
the various Wards, as shown in Table V. of Appendix was fairly
uniform.
4 cases were returned from hospital as not suffering from
scarlet fever.
There were 3 deaths, which gives the very low case mortality
of 1.3 per cent., against 0.3 per cent, in 1917. The disease, as
in recent years, was of a very mild type. The attack rate per
thousand inhabitants was 2.13 against 2.7 in 1917.