§ Dr. Vaughanasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the figures for the incidence of red influenza in the country; if the epidemic is increasing or declining; if his Department has given advice as to the possibility of a second phase of this epidemic; and if he is taking any general steps to deal with it.
§ Mr. MoyleSince influenza is not a notifiable disease, no figures of incidence are available. Our information is based332W on a system of surveillance of sample practices throughout the country. This indicates that there was an increase in the incidence of the disease in January and February, but there has been a decline since, and that the number of cases is now at the normal seasonal level. The Department and its advisers are continuing routine surveillance, and the Chief Medical Officer will, as usual, be issuing information to the medical profession in the autumn.