Mrs. Butlerasked the Minister of Health how many cases of diphtheria and death from the disease occurred in 1960 and in the first six weeks of 1961; and what was the condition as to immunisation of such cases.
§ Miss PittThe provisional total of cases of diphtheria in England and Wales in 1960 was fifty-three. Of these thirty-nine had never been immunised, eight had been immunised in infancy but had received no re-inforcing dose and two had been immunised very recently. In four cases definite information about previous immunisation could not be obtained. Of the five cases which were fatal four had not been immunised, and one had been immunised very recently. 91W Comparable figures for the number of cases in the first six weeks of 1961 are not available. During this period five children died of diphtheria, of whom four had not been immunised and one had been immunised in infancy and given a subsequent re-inforcing dose ten years ago.