The Ministry of Health released on November 11 information on infectious diseases across the country for October 2006. A total of 325,886 category A and B infection cases were reported nationwide (excluding Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan), including 714 deaths.

Compared with September, the number of cases and deaths decreased by 28,760 and 104 respectively.

Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) topped the list of the most reported cases, followed by hepatitis B, bacillary and amebic dysentery, syphilis and gonorrhea, altogether accounting for 87.05 percent of reported cases. The first five diseases on the list and the percentage remained the same as September's figures.

Rabies is followed by TB, AIDS, hepatitis B and infant tetanus on the list of the deadliest infectious diseases, altogether accounting for 91.74 percent of the total deaths. Compared with September, infant tetanus replaced epidemic meningitis B on the list. The percentage of the top five rose by 1.28 percent. Cases reported included 22 types of infectious diseases including all within categories A and B except for plague, SARS, human bird flu, poliomyelitis and diphtheria which were not reported.

A total of 114,111 cases of category C infectious diseases were reported with 7 deaths, involving 9 types of diseases in this category except filariasis. The number of cases increased by 5,912 and the number of deaths was unchanged. Infectious diarrhea, mumps and influenza were the three most reported diseases, altogether accounting for 97.76 percent of this category. Compared with September, haemorrhagic conjunctivitis was replaced by influenza on the list and the percentage rose by 0.32 percent.

(Health Ministry, November 10, 2006)