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8
WHOOPING COUGH.
The number of cases of whooping cough notified was 90.
One case was removed to hospital and no deaths occurred.
Whooping cough is one of the most serious diseases of
childhood and mothers appreciate the facilities for immunisation
which are available. Fortunately the whooping cough
immunisation campaign has had a beneficial effect on the
diphtheria immunisation campaign because the prophylactic
material most commonly used gives combined protection against
both whooping cough and diphtheria. It is to be hoped that
whooping cough immunisation will prove as effective as immunisation
against diphtheria.
As whooping cough is most dangerous in the first year of
life immunisation should be commenced at the third or fourth
month.
Details of the number of children immunised against whooping
cough during the year are as follows:—
Number of children immunised 520
Number of children receiving reinforcing
doses 137
VACCINATIONS.
The substantial degree of protection from smallpox which the
population had during the time of compulsory vaccination is being
slowly reduced due to the reduction throughout the country in the
numbers of children vaccinated at the appropriate times. The view
of the Chief Medical Officer to the Ministry of Health is that for
adequate protection at least 75% of infants should be vaccinated.
The percentage of infants under 1 year vaccinated in this Borough
during the year was 66.5% and efforts are being made to increase
this figure.
As with diphtheria immunisation, all medical practitioners
providing general medical services in the area are given an opportunity
to provide services for carrying out vaccinations.
During the year the following were performed:-
Vaccinations 418
Revaccinations 44
462