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SECTION 1
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
CONTROL
The diseases notifiable under the Public Health Act, 1936 are smallpox, cholera,
diphtheria, membraneous croup, erysipelas, scarlet fever, typhus, typhoid, enteric
and relapsing fever. The Minister of Health has also made regulations under this Act
whereby the following diseases are notifiable: plague, poliomyelitis, tuberculosis,
puerperal pyrexia, ophthalmia neonatorum, malaria, dysentery, acute primary
pneumonia, acute influenzal pneumonia, measles, whooping cough, acute encephalitis
and meningococcal infection.
Food poisoning is notifiable under the provisions of the Food and Drugs Act of
1955.
Under the Milk and Dairies (General) Regulations, 1959, the occupier of premises
used in the milk trade must notify the Medical Officer of Health if any of his staff
are suffering from or have been in contact with any of the diseases enumerated above.
In addition to these diseases the occupier of such premises has the same obligations
in respect of gastro enteritis.
The Public Health (Infectious Diseases) Amendment Regulations, 1960, provide
for the notification of Anthrax.
DIPHTHERIA.
There were no cases to report. This is indeed gratifying.
DYSENTERY
These notifications decreased to 90 compared with 127 in 1961. Again they were
all of a very mild type which cleared up within a few days.
ERYSIPELAS
Seven cases were notified.
FOOD POISONING
Of the seven cases notified the causative organism was identified as Salmonella
typhimurium in two cases, Salmonella Heidelberg in one case and Salmonella enteriditis
in one case. In three cases the causative organism was not discovered. Each case was
investigated in detail, but no source was discoverable.
MALARIA
There were no cases notified.
MEASLES
286 cases were notified compared with 3,250 cases notified in the previous year.
This followed the expected pattern for measles of alternate years of high and low
incidence.
MENINGOCOCCAL INFECTION
One case was notified.
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