The Gold Coast Influenza Epidemic was an influenza epidemic in Gold Coast (modern day Ghana) in 1918–1919, which killed more than 100,000 people in six months. Globally, 20 million people died from the outbreak in 1918. In the local parlance it was called "mfruensa" by the unschooled members of the society.
The Gold Coast Influenza strain was a genetic mutation of a regional virus known as swine influenza. The people living in the Gold Coast area had never come in contact with the new strain of influenza, so nobody was considered immune. The situation became worse because the health system of this British colony was understaffed and financially burdened. In 1919, the whole colony reportedly had only 43 physicians working in the public health sector.
Influenza Influenza is a respiratory disease that primarily affects the lungs, nose, and mouth. The 1918-1919 epidemic killed approximately 2% of Africa's total population. The Gold Coast Influenza strain was a genetic mutation of a virus in the region known as swine influenza. The people living in the Gold Coast area had never come in contact with the new strain of influenza, so nobody was considered immune. Being completely unprepared for a full-scale epidemic due to war preparations, the Gold Coast was left understaffed and financially burdened.
Influenza Hits the Gold Coast There was a previous pandemic of 1889-1893 which reached the Gold Coast in 1891.David Scott,Epidemic Disease in Ghana 1901 - 1960 (London,1965), p. 187.In 1918 the Principal Medical Officer suggested that the 1891 outbreak might have been pneumonia plague (M.S.R.,1918, p. 14), but this seems highly unlikey (Scott,Epidemic Disease, p. 188).
The governor of Sierra Leone sent a message to the governor of Ghana on 28 August 1918 of an influenza outbreak and measures are to be taken because vessels coming from Accra or Sierra Leone are infected. The message arrived late. The American vessel S.S Shonga arrived in Cape Coast on August 31, 1918. The spread of the influenza virus caused schools, mosques and churches to close down. It is recorded that an estimated 100,00 people died of symptoms related to influenza out of the 1,504,000 recorded in 1911 census. Because the Gold Coast was experiencing a dry season in the Northern area, residents were at a greater risk for infection, hence the higher mortality rate. The only reported attempts to slow the spread of disease on behalf of the government involved quarantines, but it was not strictly enforced enough to put a quick end to the epidemic. It wasn't until 1950 that doctors found a vaccine that fought the strain, more than 30 years after the spread.
The whole colony by 1919 had 43 government physicians; 5 of them were administrators and 5 were vacant position.Gold Coast Medical and sanitary Report for 1919 (henceforth M.S.R), P.6. The government boys' school was now the hospital with a Principal Medical officer who was given 500 pounds to care for the sick.Prin.M.O to Colonial Secretary, Accra, 17 September 1918,ibid
Dates of Recorded Cases
The table indicates the city and date they recorded their first case of the virus + Gold Coast Infection DatesCityDate recorded caseAccra3 September 1918Koforidua9 September 1918Sekondi18 September 1918Saltpond21 September 1918Kumasi23 September 1918Winneba24 September 1918Tarkwa25 September 1918Axim25 September 1918Obuasi1 October 1918Yeji8 October 1918Keta12 October 1918Bole26 October 1918Wenchi, Sunyani and Kintampo26 October 1918Salaga5 November 1918Wa7 November 1918Lawra15 November 1918Tamale12 November 1918Tumu16 November 1918
References