Vol. 485 No. 2
225 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children if his Department will show records for the number of post-holiday or travel related infections presented by Irish people in each of the years 1995 and 1996 in relation to malaria, hepatitis B and AIDS. [22981/97]
On the basis of the notifications of the numbers of infectious diseases received by my Department it is not possible to indicate with certainty in respect of any particular disease how or where a patient has contracted it.
However, in respect of cases of malaria notified (nine cases in 1995 and 14 cases in 1996) it is probable that all the cases were contracted abroad.
In relation to hepatitis B and HIV infection, these conditions can be contracted in any country in the world, including Ireland, and it is not possible to identify separately what, if any, proportion of cases have been contracted abroad. Eleven cases of viral hepatitis type B were notified in 1995 and ten cases in 1996. The number of new AIDS cases reported in 1995 was 55 and in 1996 the total reported was 79.
