The Spanish Flu occurred in 1918 and spread to nearly every part of the world. The 1918 pandemic was caused by a strain of Influenza that was highly infective and very deadly. It is hard to pinpoint the origin of the virus as the data from that period was not sufficient to find a source. Most victims of the 1918 Spanish Flu were healthy young adults which differs from most influenza outbreaks which generally affect juvenile, elderly, or otherwise weakened patients. The 1918 pandemic started in March 1918 an lasted until 1919 and spread far and wide, affecting even the Arctic and remote Pacific Islands. It is estimated that nearly one third of the world’s population or 500 million people were infected during the 1918–1919 influenza pandemic.
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Despite the recent claims by Mexico’s health secretary that the swine flu virus is in its declining phase, The World Health Organization (WHO) warned that the 2009 H1N1 (swine flu) outbreak could gain momentum in the months ahead. Gregory Hartl, a spokesman from the WHO for epidemic and pandemic diseases, said Sunday that the outbreak is only about 10 days old, and even if the illness is declining, it could return. He went on to remind everyone that “in 1918 the Spanish flu showed a surge in the spring, and then disappeared in the summer months, only to return in the autumn of 1918 with a vengeance,” He further said “And we know that that eventually killed 40 million to 50 million people.”
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During the 20th century, the emergence of several new influenza A virus subtypes caused three pandemics, all three of the flu viruses spread around the world within a year of being detected, they were the Spanish Flu, Asian Flu and Hong Kong Flu.
The first outbreak occurred during 1918-1919. This was known as “Spanish flu” or A (H1N1). Spanish Flu caused the highest number of known influenza deaths. As a result of Spanish Flu More than 500,000 people died in the United States, and up to 50 million people may have died worldwide. Many people died within the first few days after infection, and others died of secondary complications. Nearly half of those who died from Spanish Flu were young, healthy adults. Influenza A (H1N1) viruses still circulate today after being introduced again into the human population in 1977.
The second occurred from 1957-1958 and was known as [A (H2N2)] or “Asian flu”. Asian Flu caused about 70,000 deaths in the United States. Asian Flu was first identified in China in late February 1957, Asian flu spread to the United States by June 1957.
During 1968-1969 [A (H3N2)] also known as ” Hong Kong flu” caused about 34,000 deaths in the United States. The Hong Kong flu virus was first detected in Hong Kong in early 1968 and spread to the United States later that year. Hong Kong flu or Influenza A (H3N2) viruses still circulate today.
Both the 1957-58 and 1968-69 pandemics were caused by viruses containing a combination of genes from a human influenza virus and an avian flu virus. The 1918-19 pandemic virus appears to have an avian origin.
