HC Deb 21 January 1997 vol 288 cc575-6W
Mr. Jon Owen Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many cases of (i) A, (ii) B, (iii) C and (iv) Y-type meningitis were diagnosed in Wales last year; and how many were fatal; [9758]

(2) how many cases of (i) A, (ii) B, (iii) C and (iv) Y-type meningitis within the Bro Taf health authority area (a) were diagnosed last year, (b) have occurred in the current year to date and (c) were fatal in each year. [9759]

Mr. Hague

A total of 251 cases of meningococcal disease were reported to the communicable disease surveillance centre, Wales in 1996, of which 138 were meningococcal meningitis and 113 were meningococcal septicaemia.

Data from the meningococcal reference laboratory on the typing of cases from Wales are available only to 12 December 1996. They are shown in the following table for the 115 samples which were referred.

Meningococcal Reference Laboratory (Manchester PHL) data reported to CDSC Colindale for isolates of Neisseria meningitides from Wales (to 12 December 1996)
Organism Number
Type A 0
Type B 68
Type C 42
Type Y 1
Other 4
Unknown 0
Total 115

Ninety-seven cases of meningitis and meningococcal septicaemia were reported to Bro Taf health authority between 1 January 1996 and 8 January 1997 as shown in the following table.

Cases of meningitis and meningococcal septicaemia in Bro Taf 1 January 1996 to 8 January 1997
Type Number
Group A—laboratory data 0
Group B—laboratory data 8
Group C—laboratory data 4
Ungrouped 16
Unknown 69
Total 97

1. Data from Bro Taf health authority infection control unit.

2. Laboratories and clinicians are encouraged to report promptly, before sub-typing is necessarily known.

3. In some cases sub-typing is not possible.

4. Data for period 1 January 1996 to 31 March 1996 are combined data for Mid and South Glamorgan health authorities.

Laboratories do not know whether a case has resulted in fatality. Fatalities would normally be around 10 per cent, of cases. However, data notified to the Office for National Statistics based on death certificates report one death in 1995 and one during the period January to June 1996.

The latest available Office for National Statistics data, taken from death certificates, are as follows:

Fatalities from meningococcal infection (including meningococcal meningitis and meningococcal septicaemia)
Year Bro Taf Wales
1995 2 8
1996 to end June 0 5