3000-MILE TRAIL OF DEATH

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16317, 18 April 1927, Page 11

3000-MILE TRAIL OF DEATH

I 60,000 VICTIMS OF AN EPIDEMIC. ! AFRICA BWEPT FRO M WEST TO 'EAST. CAIRO, Feb. 14. A virulent epidemic of relapsing fever, which lias caused ai. toast 60,000 deaths, is creeping across Africa from west to east, spreading death and desolation over a dOOO-inile track. The disease, which is carried by vermin, started in French West Africa among native troops, and spread into British West, Africa, Nigeria, and the Chad area. It, appeared in Wadi m 1921. Exact mortality figures are unobtainable, but 60,000 deaths have occurred in Bornu (Nigeria), and the death rolti in Kano (Nigeria) is reported to he even greater. The disease, appeared at. Darfur (Anglo-Egyptian Sudan) in September last year, and is now ravaging the Zalingei. Nyala, and Kelikebia. districts, all of which are heavily infected. Death in those districts is reported 1° result in 60 to CO per rent. of affected cases, and tin- Distdcl Commissioner ol Zah ugei reports .10.000 deaths among a population of 45,000. The plague is now spreading into Rordofan and the Central Sudan —a dir. tanoo of 3000 miles from the starting ]ioi.iil —and is likely to continue its ravages miles the vigorous combative measures now eitiplov.-d prove .-accessfill. Qiiaranline slat ions have been established and at raiigemenls have hern made to inject persons affected with anti -toxin Relapsing fever is also known as “famine fever,” “short fever. ’’ and “recurrent typhus.” GVitbreuks have occurred in all parts ol Ihe world at times, but the distinction between lliis disease and typhus was first clearly established during an outbreak in Ireland in 1826-