However, more recent study suggests that the virus itself, though more lethal than other strains, was not fundamentally different from those that caused epidemics in other years. This led some to fear the end of mankind, and has long fueled the supposition that the strain of influenza was particularly lethal. The 1918 flu spread rapidly, killing 25 million people in just the first six months. The pandemic was the work of a ‘super-virus’Ī Chicago Public Health poster outlines flu regulations during the pandemic. In fact, the geographic origin of the flu is debated to this day, though hypotheses have suggested East Asia, Europe and even Kansas. That created the false impression that Spain was bearing the brunt of the disease. By contrast, neutral Spain had no need to keep the flu under wraps. The major countries involved in the war were keen to avoid encouraging their enemies, so reports of the extent of the flu were suppressed in Germany, Austria, France, the United Kingdom and the U.S. The pandemic likely acquired this nickname because of World War I, which was in full swing at the time. No one believes the so-called “Spanish flu” originated in Spain. As a result, many of us harbor misconceptions about it.īy correcting these 10 myths, we can better understand what actually happened and learn how to prevent and mitigate such disasters in the future. Historians and scientists have advanced numerous hypotheses regarding its origin, spread and consequences. The 1918 flu pandemic has been a regular subject of speculation over the last century. Some have called it the greatest pandemic in history. Half a billion people were infected.Įspecially remarkable was the 1918 flu’s predilection for taking the lives of otherwise healthy young adults, as opposed to children and the elderly, who usually suffer most. In the pandemic of 1918, between 50 and 100 million people are thought to have died, representing as much as 5% of the world’s population. Consider the influenza pandemic of 1918, often referred to erroneously as the “Spanish flu.” Misconceptions about it may be fueling unfounded fears about COVID-19, and now is an especially good time to correct them. 11, 2018.īut the world has seen pandemics before, and worse ones, too. Editor's Note, March 17, 2020: This is an updated version of a story that originally ran on Jan.
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