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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 438, was 1,486 compared with
1,390 in 1919 and 2,659 in 1918. The disease showing the principle
increase was scarlet fever.
The attack rate per thousand inhabitants was 11.5 against
15.2 in 1919.
25 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 268 cases of diphtheria notified in 1920 as
against 278 cases in 1919.
The attack-rate per thousand inhabitants was 2.07, against
2.24 in 1919. The case mortality was 9.3 per cent., against 7.6
per cent, in 1919, and 6.1 per cent, in 1918. 11 cases were returned
as not suffering from this disease.
Scarlet Fever.
The notifications of scarlet fever in 1920 were 976 against
388 in 1919.
This is an increase of 588. The distribution of the disease
in the various Wards, as shown in Table V. of Appendix was
fairly uniform.
11 cases were returned from hospital as not suffering from
scarlet fever.
There were 7 deaths, which gives the very low case mortality
of 0.72 per cent., against 1.3 per cent, in 1919. The disease, as
in recent years, was of a very mild type. The attack rate per
thousand inhabitants was 7.56 against 3.12 in 1919.