Transcribed from an article in South Africa Magazine, 26 October 1918
By Ellen Stanton

THE INFLUENZA SCOURGE IN SOUTH AFRICA

WELCOME AND DISTINCT IMPROVEMENT

PRAISEWORTHY AND SUCCESSFUL RELIEF ORGANISATION

SPREAD OF THE DISEASE IN COUNTRY DISTRICTS

(Reuter's Telegrams.)

CAPE TOWN, October 14.

The approximate number of deaths from influenza in Cape Town and the suburbs, excluding Wynberg to Simon's Town and the divisional areas, from October 1 to October 13 inclusive, was five thousand, of which it is estimated that 75 per cent. were among coloured people and natives.

In Cape Town the position in regard to the epidemic continues to be more hopeful, but it is still spreading over the country. In Johannesburg the condition is neither better nor worse, but the organization there is so complete that it is hoped that it will be mastered in forty-eight hours. At Pretoria regulations have been gazetted, enabling the local authorities to close places of amusement and prohibit public meetings. The railway departments have been asked to restrict passenger traffic, particularly of natives and coloured peoples.

JOHANNESBURG, October 15.

At the gold mines there has been a further return towards normal conditions. The native death roll there amounts to nearly six hundred. The position in the Transvaal Collieries is still critical, but it is hoped that there will be a rapid improvement after Thursday.

KIMBERLEY, October 15.

There is a marked improvement in the mines and the town. It is computed that the total deaths from the epidemic have been 3300, including 300 Europeans.

MELBOURNE, October 17 (delayed)

In view of the serious outbreak of Spanish influenza in South Africa vessels from the Union are subject to quarantine at Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Fremantle, which will be the only ports of entry. The Federal Government has requested the Imperial Government to forbid troopships from calling at South Africa.

CAPE TOWN, October 16.

The position in the Cape Peninsula has latterly distinctly improved, the genial weather doubtless partly contributing to this result. Whereas a week ago Cape Town was almost a dead city, the streets are now resuming their wonted activity in the daytime. Theatres and places of amusement, however, remain closed, and by ten in the evening trams and trains have ceased running. The obituary announcements in the Cape Times for Tuesday occupied over four columns; today there is a column less. The interments in Maitland Cemetery today numbered 100, as compared with 200 yesterday and 250 to 300 on the previous days. Nevertheless pneumonia continues rife among Europeans. Official medical opinion anticipates that a further two days must elapse before there is any marked improvement in the mortality among Europeans.

The thoroughness of the relief organization for combating the influenza epidemic is most praiseworthy, and is now fully equal to the situation. Various charity committees have transferred their energies to meet the emergency. Hundreds of voluntary helpers of both sexes are zealously working under direction from headquarters at the City Hall. There have been harrowing cases where workers, bursting in doors, have found people dead or dying from want of food and attention. The feature of the outbreaks in the country districts is the marked variation in the virulence of the disease. In some districts there have been 2000 cases and very few deaths, and in others a few hundred cases and a heavy death-roll. There are 3500 absentees and 186 deaths have occurred amongst railway employes from Cape Town to De Aar.

At Kimberley there has been a further substantial improvement. Seventy-four deaths occurred in the mine compounds on Tuesday, as compared with 115 on Monday and over 300 daily previously. In the municipalities of Kimberley and Beaconsfield 34 Europeans and 101 non-Europeans died on Tuesday.

At Johannesburg the outlook continues to be most hopeful, and the disease in many of the suburbs has been definitely checked.

CAPE TOWN, October 18 (delayed).

Reports regarding the influenza epidemic in Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Kimberley continue to be of an encouraging nature, although from Reuter's various correspondents throughout the country, and from places as far north as Bulawayo, accounts are still pouring in of serious local outbreaks, a feature of which is the great shortage of doctors. One of the places most stricken is the Witbank, an important colliery centre in the Eastern Rand. Here the Government schools, Railway Institute, and churches have been converted into hospitals, all of which are filled. At this place only six railway shunters are working out of 100.

The death roll in Johannesburg during the past week is estimated at 600, whilst the approximate mortality from the epidemic in the Kimberley district for a similar period was 4000, of which total 400 were Europeans.

The Government is prepared to take all necessary steps to check profiteering in the sale of drugs.

("Daily News" Telegram.)

JOHANNESBURG, Monday, October 14 (delayed).

The influenza epidemic is assuming a most grave aspect. In Johannesburg alone 840 cases have been admitted to the hospitals, besides others in the temporary hospitals. Forty-two nurses and nine doctors here are incapacitated from duty.

Miscellaneous articles on the same page:

Mr. Thomas B. Williams has passed away at Germiston, where for a number of years he had carried on very successfully a drapery business.

The death has taken place at Johannesburg of Mdme. Julienne Carayan, a foundation member of the Femmes Francaises du Transvaal, at the early age of forty.