§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what was the total number of cases of meningitis recorded in the last year for which figures are available;
(2) how many fatalities were recorded as a result of meningitis for the last year in which figures are available.
§ Mr. FreemanMeningitis can be caused by a number of different organisms. The hon. Member may be particularly interested in meningococcal meningitis. The table shows the number of notifications received for this, plus for all forms of acute meningitis, together with the number of deaths registered with meningococcal meningitis (International Classification of Diseases 9th Revision 036.0) assigned as the underlying cause of death. Notification data for 1988 are as yet uncorrected and provisional, whilst cause of death data are available only for the first three quarters and are similarly provisional. Final data for 1987 are therefore also given.
Number of notifications of all forms of acute meningitis and meningococcal meningitis; and death registrations of meningococcal
meningitis (ICD 9 036.0)
England and Wales 1987–88 1987 1988 Notifications Acute meningitis2 2,542 33,001 Meningococcal meningitis 1,080 31,309 Deaths1 Meningococcal meningitis 37 3 431 1 Plus 28 days and over. 2 From 1 October 1988 this became known simply as "meningitis". 3 Provisional: to allow for corrected disease notifications/death registrations. 4 January to September only.