Groningen epidemic
Encyclopedia
The Groninger ziekte that broke out in 1826 was a malaria
epidemic that killed 2,844 people—nearly 10% of the population of Groningen.
In February 1825 the dikes broke in several places causing widespread flooding in the region. The decay of plants and cattles under swamplike conditions and the flooding of the city of Groningen in 1826 in the subsequent hot spring and summer of 1826 led to the epidemic.
The epidemic also hit Friesland
and the German
Wadden Sea
region. The Frisian
town of Sneek
reported a tripling of the number of deaths in 1826 as compared to previous years.
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
epidemic that killed 2,844 people—nearly 10% of the population of Groningen.
In February 1825 the dikes broke in several places causing widespread flooding in the region. The decay of plants and cattles under swamplike conditions and the flooding of the city of Groningen in 1826 in the subsequent hot spring and summer of 1826 led to the epidemic.
The epidemic also hit Friesland
Friesland
Friesland is a province in the north of the Netherlands and part of the ancient region of Frisia.Until the end of 1996, the province bore Friesland as its official name. In 1997 this Dutch name lost its official status to the Frisian Fryslân...
and the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Wadden Sea
Wadden Sea
The Wadden Sea is an intertidal zone in the southeastern part of the North Sea. It lies between the coast of northwestern continental Europe and the range of Frisian Islands, forming a shallow body of water with tidal flats and wetlands. It is rich in biological diversity...
region. The Frisian
Frisia
Frisia is a coastal region along the southeastern corner of the North Sea, i.e. the German Bight. Frisia is the traditional homeland of the Frisians, a Germanic people who speak Frisian, a language group closely related to the English language...
town of Sneek
Sneek
Sneek is a city southwest of Leeuwarden and seat of the former municipality of Sneek in the province of Friesland . As for 2011 it is part of the municipality Súdwest Fryslân...
reported a tripling of the number of deaths in 1826 as compared to previous years.