Annual medical and sanitary report / Nigeria.

  • Nigeria. Medical Department.
Date:
[1918]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual medical and sanitary report / Nigeria. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    167/172 (page 51)
    REPORT UPON INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC IN MURI PROVINCE. The Influenza epidemic reached Muri Province by two routes, (1) up the river Benue from Lokoja and (2) by trade routes from Bauchi Province into the north of Muri Province. The spread of infection up river was steady, place after place along the banks being infected in succession. From each new focus the disease rapidly spread inland along trade routes. The first cases diagnosed at Ibi arrived on the Niger Co. boat “ Tug well ” on 17 th October. Five cases were isolated from this boat, and all precautions taken. Contacts were isolated and soon afterwards developed the disease, but by this time it had begun to spread in the native town. The early cases were comparatively mild, and the epidemic appeared to be diminishing when the Medical Officer had to leave Ibi for Abinsi on October 31st. A recrudescence of the epidemic started on November 5th whilst the Medical Officer was still absent. This time it spread with extraordinary rapidity through police barracks, gaol, and native town, quite 70-75% of the native population becoming infected. In early December no cases were occurring at Ibi, but the disease had spread widely from the Benue river banks to the north and south of the Province, and up river to Lau and Yola Province. It is interesting to note that natives in this Province still remember a similar epidemic “about 30 years ago.” This was no doubt the epidemic of 1889 which is known to have spread to Africa. VI. In Europeans the disease was comparatively mild :— Place. No. Resident. No. Infected. Deaths. Off duty. Mild cases. Ibi ••• ••• ••• 13 1 3 Donga . 3 2 ... 1 Sallatu and Zaiki Biem. 10 6 ... ... Wtikari . 7 2 ■ ... ... Abinsi . 3 2 (1 com pi Black 1 icating water) Total . 36 13 4 1 Native Officials and Clerks in Trading Firms — Place. No. Resident. No. Infected. Deaths. Ibi ••• ••• ••• ••• ••• . 17 8 2 Abinsi ... ••• ••• ••• • • • • • • 3 3 20 11 2