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12 Infectious Diseases.
INFECTIOUS DISEASE.
Influenza, which may now, unfortunately, be considered as an
endemic plague, did not repeat its ravages so heavily this year. The
District was flooded with bills urging precautionary measures, by the
request of the Ministry of Health, with possibly good results. Influenza
is a disease which the public must be taught to treat with
fear, since it can manifest itself in many subtle ways.
Thirty five cases of post-influenzal pneumonia were notified, with
21 deaths. In 1919, there were 24 deaths from influenza.
Measles and Rubella.— Measles has not been severe during the
year, but I advised the Public Health Committee to keep the notification
of the disease in force in the District, as it has proved a
helpful measure in the past.
There was a mild epidemic in 1920, 474 cases of measles resulting
with 3 deaths; and 96 cases of rubella, were notified.
Scarlet Fever was prevalent; part of a Metropolitan epidemic;
69 notifications were received with 1 death resulting, compared with
88 cases in 1919 with no deaths, and 32 in 1918 with 110 deaths.
Diphtheria.—103 cases were notified as such with 7 deaths, including
6 in hospital. This disease was unduly prevalent.
Whooping Cough accounted for 8 deaths.
Infantile Diarrhœa.—There were 6 deaths only from infantile
diarrhoea, and the disease was not prevalent during last summer.
Enteric Fever.—Three cases were notified during the year.
Typhus.—Nil.
Small Fox.— Nil.
Folio-myelitis. —Nil.
Cerebrospinal Fever.—Nil.
Malaria. —Twelve cases were notified, all amongst returned
soldiers. There were no deaths.
Malarial Sites have been pointed out to Council, and treatment
of same advised.
Trench Fever.—One case has been notified, but no lice were
found on or about the patient.
Dysentery.—Nil.