§ Mr. Viantasked the Minister of Health the number of cases of poliomyelitis in 1958; how many of them were paralytic; and how many had been previously vaccinated.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithCorrected notifications of poliomyelitis in England and Wales in 1958 numbered 1,993, of which 1,417 were paralytic. The number of cases which were reported among persons who had two or more injections of poliomyelitis vaccine was 178, of which 92 were paralytic.
§ Mr. Viantasked the Minister of Health the number of cases of poliomyelitis in 1957 and 1958 which occured within thirty days of vaccination; and how many of them were paralytic.
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§ Mr. Walker-SmithIn 1957 eight and in 1958 twenty-five cases of poliomyelitis within thirty days of a second or subsequent injection of vaccine were reported to my department. Of these, five and fifteen respectively were paralytic. As the hon. Member knows, there are several reasons why poliomyelitis may occur in vaccinated persons, and it is not possible to identify the reason with certainty in an individual case. By the end of 1957 and 1958 about 1½ million and 6½ million people respectively had received two injections.
§ Mr. de Freitasasked the Minister of Health whether he will make a statement on the availability over the last two months of poliomyelitis vaccine in Lincoln and Lincolnshire, respectively.
§ Mr. R. ThompsonThey held on 28th February 604 and 10,585 doses respectively, received 10,300 and 23,217 between that date and 4th April to meet their estimated needs and were sent a further 2,424 and 23,352 doses in fulfilment of supplementary requisitions. The dispatch of further supplies to meet estimated requirements for May has begun.