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The Pandemic that Killed 50 Million
By Simone M. Scully and Nicole Bonaccorso · 7 days ago
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Nurses care for victims of a Spanish influenza epidemic in tents during an outdoor fresh air
cure, Lawrence, Mass., ca. 1918. (Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
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The Pandemic that Killed 50 Million | The Weather Channel - Articles from The Weather Channel | weather.com
In 1918, it is estimated that about 500 million people — or about one third of
the world’s population — caught influenza, otherwise known at the time as
the “Spanish Flu."
It was the deadliest flu outbreak in recorded history, with between 50 million
and 100 million people worldwide being killed. In the United States alone,
675,000 died and the average life expectancy fell by about 12 years between
1917 to 1918.
(MORE ON WEATHER.COM: Places You're Most Likely To Catch The Flu)
The virus spread quickly because of World War I, with soldiers in close
quarters passing the disease to one another then traveling far and wide,
spreading the disease throughout the world. There was no vaccine at the
time to protect against infection (the first licensed flu vaccine didn’t appear in
the US until the 1940s) and there was no antiviral medication to treat it once
infected.
All that people could do to try to avoid catching the disease was wash their
hands, isolate themselves, avoid public settings, and quarantine the alreadysick. Citizens were also ordered to wear masks to try to slow the spread of the
disease, and many schools, theaters and businesses shut down. In New York
City, an ordinance was passed to fine or jail people that failed to cover their
coughs.
The first wave of the 1918 pandemic hit in the spring and was considered
relatively mild, but later that fall, a second, much deadlier wave hit. Some
victims died within hours or days of developing symptoms. Hospitals became
so overloaded with patients that schools, private homes, and other buildings
had to be converted into makeshift, emergency substitutes. There was also a
doctor shortage back home due to the war, so medical students sometimes
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The Pandemic that Killed 50 Million | The Weather Channel - Articles from The Weather Channel | weather.com
stepped in to try to treat patients. In some places, so many people got sick
that there weren’t enough farmers to harvest crops or enough workers to
collect garbage and deliver the mail.
(MORE ON WEATHER.COM: 5 Giveaways That You Have The Flu)
Today, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), scientists now
know that the 1918 influenza pandemic was causes by the H1N1 virus. While
the epidemic did die down by the summer of 1919, that same H1N1 virus
continued to come back seasonally for about 38 years, and, according to a
study in Emerging Infectious Disease, all influenza A pandemics since 1918
have been caused by descendants (or mutated versions) of that same 1918
virus.
There have been other flu pandemics since 1918, but none have been quite
as deadly. This is partly due to the fact that there have been huge
advancements in our understanding and treatment of the flu.
There is now a global influenza surveillance system that include 114
countries. Seasonal flu vaccines are also available every year to help protect
people from getting sick and there are antiviral drugs available for treatment.
There are also antibiotics to help treat secondary infections, such as
pneumonia.
(MORE ON WEATHER.COM: 7 Reasons To Get A Flu Shot Now)
Still, according to the World Health Organization, the seasonal flu still
severely affects three to five million people a year and kills between 290,000
and 650,000 worldwide. That’s why it’s very important to get the vaccine
every year and take other steps — like staying home from work when you’re
sick — to help minimize the risk of spreading the disease to others.
Know your flu risk. Check out the Flu Tracker on The Weather Channel App.
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