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Compared with 1971 there were 1,200 more cases of communicable
disease notified by schools. This was mainly due to the increased
incidence of mumps and german measles.
During the year, all schools were issued with a circular giving
careful guidance on the procedure regarding notification of infectious
disease, and explicit instructions were issued regarding precautions
necessary, so far as teaching staff are concerned, when cases of german
measles occur in schools.
Diptheria
There were no notifications of diphtheria during the year 1972,
but constant efforts were maintained to keep the immunised state of
the children satisfactory.
Epidemiological Surveys
There were two instances during 1972 involving cases of tuberculosis
when, on the advice of the Chest Physician, an epidemiological
survey was arranged.
(i) A pupil of a middle school visited her country of origin
during the summer holidays 1971. She returned to school and after a
short time was admitted to hospital. The diagnosis on her discharge
in March, 1972, was tuberculous pleural effusion and a limited survey
of staff and children who had been in contact was arranged. 62 children
were tested and 12 teaching staff had chest x-rays. Only one child was
omitted from the survey as the parents were unco-operative.
The result of this limited survey indicated that there had been no
spread of infection to pupils or staff.
(ii) In April, 1972, it was reported that a pupil in another middle
school had apparently developed an adult type of tuberculosis. The
Chest Physician advised that a contact survey of all pupils and staff
should be conducted. During the summer of 1972, 471 children were
tested and 31 of them (6.5%) were referred to the chest clinic for
further investigation. Children who had moved out of the Borough
or who had been transferred to a High School were followed up. In
spite of advice and several approaches to the parents, two children
were not included in the survey.
Of the 49 staff all but five submitted chest x-ray results and of
the latter, two, with some justification, did not wish to undergo an
x-ray.
After an almost complete check of all possible contacts there was
no evidence of any spread of infection.
These surveys involve considerable organisation and their successful
conduct is dependent on the co-operation of the Head Teacher
and the staff of the school concerned. Their help is gratefully acknowledged.
Meningitis
Notification was received of two cases of meningitis, one of which
was fatal. This was a nine-year-old schoolboy who died after a four
days' illness. All the necessary investigations were carried out at the
school concerned and there were no further cases.
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