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51
INFECTIOUS AND OTHER DISEASES
General
A total of 780 notifications of infectious diseases were received
during the year compared with 4,772 during 1967. This substantial
reduction was associated with the absence of measles in epidemic
form which continued the now familiar pattern of years of low
incidence of this infection alternating with "measles years".
Vaccination against this infectious disease became available
during the year for children up to the age of 15 who had not in the
past had the disease, and it is hoped that this new protective
measure will break the sequence of measles epidemic years which
have now been experienced for such a long time.
Once again, both diphtheria and poliomyelitis were not
reported in the area and the incidence of the other infectious
diseases was gratifyingly low.
A number of administrative changes occurred during the year
in connection with the notification of infectious diseases. The
Public Health (Infective Jaundice) Regulations came into operation
on the 15th June 1968 and as a result infective jaundice became
notifiable. In addition, on the 1st October, the Public Health
(Infectious Diseases) Regulations 1968 came into operation. These
removed from the list of notifiable diseases Acute Primary Pneumonia,
Acute Influenzal Pneumonia, Acute Rheumatism, Puerperal
Pyrexia, Erysipelas and Membranous Croup, reflecting changes in
the prevalence and significance of these infections over the years.
At the same time Tetanus, Yellow Fever and Leptospirosis became
notifiable for the first time. The Regulations also give additional
powers to require a person to stop work if this is necessary in
order to prevent the spread of food poisoning, dysentery or typhoid
infections.
Diphtheria
No cases were notified in 1968.
Dysentery
Seventeen notifications were received, a reduction on the
previous year's total of 29. These were all of the mild sonnei type
and were isolated cases, no epidemic of the disease occurring.
Erysipelas
Thirteen cases were notified as against 11 in the previous year.
This infection, which is now always mild in form, ceased to be
notifiable on the 1st October 1968 as a result of the regulations
referred to above.
Food Poisoning
Ten cases were notified during the year compared with 13 in