HC Deb 20 April 2004 vol 420 cc426-7W
Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many outbreaks of infectious disease there were in care homes in each year since 1997. [165241]

Miss Melanie Johnson

Information about all outbreaks of infectious diseases in care homes is not collected centrally.

The Health Protection Agency has provided the information shown in the tables on infectious intestinal diseases and on influenza from their voluntary reporting system.

General outbreaks of Infectious Intestinal Disease linked to care

homes. England & Wales, 1997–2003
Year Number of outbreaks
1997 152
1998 178
1999 167
2000 219
2001 159
2002 331
2003 187
Total 1,393
provisional data.
Source:
HPA GSURV outbreak database 30/3/04

Influenza outbreaks reported
Year Number of outbreaks
1997 No data available
1998 10
1999 7
2000 1
2001 1

Influenza outbreaks reported
Year Number of outbreaks
2002 1
2003 3
Total 23
Source:
HPA data.