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49
INFECTIOUS AND OTHER DISEASES
General
The total number of notified cases of infectious disease
showed a decrease compared with the previous year, 1,002 cases
being reported compared with 1,349 during 1969. This reduction
was mainly due to a fall in the number of cases of measles.
With the introduction of measles vaccination in the Borough in
1968, the bi-annual epidemics of this illness have ceased to occur,
but the effect on the endemic level of the infection has been less
pronounced and it seems likely that this will not be greatly
reduced until a higher proportion of the children at risk are
protected. Nearly all the 668 cases reported during the year
affected children under the age of 15 years.
Reductions in the numbers of cases of Scarlet Fever, Dysentery
and Tuberculosis, also contributed to the improved picture.
It is pleasing once again to be able to report the absence of
Diptheria and Poliomyelitis from the Borough, something that
now tends to be taken for granted but which, nevertheless, represents
a considerable preventive achievement on the part of all
those who have successfully laboured to maintain the high level
of protection by immunisation now prevailing in the Community.
Compared with the previous year there was an increase in
the cases of Whooping Cough reported, continuing a tendency
for this infection to fluctuate considerably in prevalence from
year to year. The cases notified were, however, generally of a
mild character. A single case of Typhoid Fever was notified,
the infection having been contracted during a holiday outside
Europe, an incident that leads me to draw attention to the
recommendation of the Department of Health that vaccination
against this condition should be considered by travellers going
outside Europe or North America.
An unusual occurrence was the involvement of the Department
during the year in three instances where Rabies was suspected.
Two of these followed abnormal illnesses in domestic
pets that had been reported to the veterinary officers of the
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. The other instance
concerned a child who was bitten by a St. Bernard dog while
on holiday on the Continent; the Authorities of the country concerned
were most co-operative and it was possible to establish
that the dog had not been suffering from the disease. I am
pleased to be able to report that the other two domestic pets
were also cleared from suspicion.
Generally speaking, it may, therefore, be said that the level
of notifiable infectious disease during the year maintained the
good record in this respect enjoyed by the Borough in previous
years.
Statistical details of the various infectious diseases are given