Monica Barnes
Question:54 Mrs. Barnes asked the Minister for Health and Children his response to the rise in the number of cases of gastroenteritis in children under two years which have increased by 36% on the figures for 2000. [9977/01]
Written Answers. - Gastroenteritis Incidence.
I am advised by the National Disease Surveillance Centre that the provisional number of cases of gastroenteritis, contracted by children under two years of age, in the first 12 weeks of 2001, is 812. The number of cases reported in the same period last year was 697. This represents an increase of 16.5% in 2001 over 2000. As the Deputy is aware it is not possible to draw any definitive conclusions from provisional data over a period as short as three months. Details of cases of gastroenteritis contracted by children under two years of age over the last three years are as follows:
|
1998 |
3483 |
|
1999 |
2917 |
|
2000 (Provisional) |
2819 |