asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he will state whether he has caused any steps to be taken to ascertain the cause of the occasional outbreaks of typhoid in the Allihies area, and to protect the district against recurrences of this disease.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - West Cork Typhoid Outbreaks.
I am satisfied that the medical staff of the local authority have made all the investigations possible to determine the cause of the occasional outbreaks of typhoid in the Allihies area and they have also taken precautions to prevent the spread of the infection. Three cases of typhoid fever have occurred during the current year. The local medical staff could obtain no evidence which would indicate a common source of infection in these cases from milk or water supplies, and in their view the contamination of food supplies by undetected typhoid carriers would appear to be the only possible cause. There is always great difficulty in dealing with the typhoid carrier. Instructions have been given by the local medical staff in regard to the precautions to be taken for the purpose of preventing the spread of infection and prophylactic inoculation has been given to contacts, and my Department has suggested that inoculation should be offered free to the local inhabitants.