[ Pandemic History ] 1918 Pandemic Influenza resulted in at least 50 million deaths worldwide
[ Pandemic History ] There were 3 different waves of illness during the 1918 Pandemic Influenza, starting in March 1918 and subsiding by the summer of 1919. The pandemic peaked in the U.S. during the second wave, in the fall of 1918. This highly fatal second wave was responsible for most of the U.S. deaths attributed to the pandemic.
The third wave of illness occurred during the winter and spring of 1919, adding to the pandemic death toll. The third wave of the pandemic subsided during the summer of 1919.
An estimated 1/3 of the world’s population was infected with the 1918 flu virus – resulting in at least 50 million deaths worldwide.
Page last reviewed: May 11, 2018
Content source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD)
The first outbreak of flu-like illnesses was detected in the U.S. in March, with more than 100 cases reported at Camp Funston in Fort Riley, Kansas. www.cdc.gov
There were 3 different waves of illness during the pandemic, starting in March 1918 and subsiding by summer of 1919. The pandemic peaked in the U.S. during the second wave, in the fall of 1918. This highly fatal second wave was responsible for most of the U.S. deaths attributed to the pandemic.
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-resources/1918-commemoration/three-waves.htm?fbclid=IwAR0MwjfhXGngAAi-iRI2tTeiFDJn8YS882Cm6xWI6uTuS1uq6-2Gh8dZt8Y
In 1918, many health professionals served in the U. S. military during WWI, resulting in shortages of medical personnel around the U.S. The economy suffered as businesses and factories were forced to close due to sickness amongst workers.
www.cdc.gov
The Motor Corps of St. Louis chapter of the American Red Cross on ambulance duty during the influenza epidemic, October 1918.
www.cdc.gov
