The Ministry of Health today released information on public
health emergencies around the country in the month of September
2006.
A total of 264 public health emergencies were reported in 31
provinces (including autonomous regions and municipalities),
including one Grade II (where more than five deaths or serious
injury cases occur), 30 Grade III (more than three), and 233 Grade
IV (more than one).
A total of 11,109 cases of infection were reported, including 53
deaths.
Compared with August, the number of emergencies and deaths
decreased by 5.4 percent and 73.8 percent respectively. Infections
increased by 169.1 percent.
The number of emergencies and infections rose by 32.0 percent
and 30.9 percent year-on-year respectively, while the number of
deaths fell by 22.1 percent. The year-on-year increase in the
number of emergencies and reported infections was as a result of a
rise in food poisoning and infectious diseases cases, which made up
the majority of reported emergencies. Of the total, infectious
diseases accounted for 59 percent of emergencies, representing 61
percent of infections and 54 percent of deaths; food poisoning
accounted for 31 percent of emergencies, representing 26 percent of
infections and 34 percent of deaths.
Grade IV emergencies accounted for 88.2 percent of the total
number of emergencies.
Meningitis B, bacillary dysentery, epidemic parotitis and other
outbreaks accounted for 56 percent of the total number of
infectious diseases cases, and 69 percent of infections. Deaths
caused by Meningitis B accounted for 79 percent of the total. Food
poisoning occurring mainly in homes and in schools accounted for 16
percent and 45 percent respectively. Further, 45 percent of food
poisoning infections were caused by contamination by bacillus
proteus and other microbes.
(News Office,? Ministry of Health, October 12, 2006)