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10
SECTION F.—PREVALENCE OF, AND CONTROL OVER,
INFECTIOUS AND OTHER DISEASES.
(Civilians only).
NOTIFIABLE DISEASES.
The table in Section F sets out the number of cases of infectious
diseases notified during 1962.
Measles.
Following the epidemic of the previous year, only 55 cases were
notified. Of these only two were severe enough to require admission
to hospital.
Dysentery.
In the autumn an outbreak of mild dysentery due to Shigella sonnei
occurred at the Vineyard Infants School and later at St. Elizabeth's
R.C. Primary School. Both of these outbreaks were complicated by
the simultaneous occurrence of cases of "winter vomiting" which is
an illness of sudden onset and short duration presumed to be due to
an unidentified virus.
A great deal of the time of the Health Inspectors was taken up in
attempting to control these outbreaks. Cases, and close contacts of
primary school age and under were excluded from school; contacts
of secondary school age were allowed to continue.
It is interesting that only two primary schools were affected in this
way. One school is quite modern with excellent sanitary facilities, the
other had its sanitary facilities modernized only a few years ago.
Although a few cases occurred at some of the secondary schools, there
was no spread of the disease. It is pleasing to note that although three
cases occurred at the Parkshot Day Nursery, the vigilance of the staff
prevented any transmission to the other babies and young children
attending.
Paratyphoid Fever.
A woman aged 24 was infected with Salmonella paratyphi B. She
had travelled to various parts of the country and it was not possible
to trace the source of infection. Five close contacts were investigated
but all were negative and no further cases occurred.