1918 Flu/"Spanish Flu"

1918 Flu/"Spanish Flu"

Adapted from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

1918 Flu

• The 1918 influenza pandemic was the most severe pandemic in recent history. It was caused by an H1N1 virus with genes of avian origin. Although there is not universal consensus regarding where the virus originated, it spread worldwide during 1918-1919.

• Although there is no agreement regarding where the virus originated, it spread worldwide during 1918-1919. In the United States, it was first identified in military personnel in spring 1918

A little Background History April- June 1917

• U.S. enters World War I with 378,000 in the armed services in April

• A draft is established to increase the number of soldiers; Army begins training recruits at 32 large camps, each housing 25,000 to 55,000 soldier

April and May 1918

• April 1918-First mention of influenza appears in an April 5 weekly public health report. The report informs officials of 18 severe cases and three deaths in Haskell, Kansas

• By May, hundreds of thousands of soldiers travel across the Atlantic each month as they are deployed for World War 

Time Line September 1918

• The second wave of flu emerges at Camp Devens, a United States Army training camp just outside of Boston, and at a naval facility in Boston. Between September and November, a second wave of flu peaks in the United States.

• The second wave of flu emerges at Camp Devens, a United States Army training camp just outside of Boston, and at a naval facility in Boston. Between September and November, a second wave of flu peaks in the United States. This second wave is highly fatal, and responsible for most of the deaths attributed to the pandemic.

October 1918

• The 1918 flu pandemic virus kills an estimated 195,000 Americans during October alone. In fall of 1918 the United States experiences a severe shortages of professional nurses, because of the deployment of large numbers of nurses to military camps in the United States . San Francisco’s Board of Health requires any person serving the public to wear masks and issues strong recommendation to all residents to wear masks in public.

• Philadelphia is hit hard with the pandemic flu viruses—more than 500 corpses await burial, some for more than a week. Cold-storage plants are used as temporary morgues, a manufacturer of trolley cars donates 200 packing crates for use as coffins..

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Multiple Select

Which city made residents put a sign on the front and back door to tell others that someone in the house had the flu?

• New York City

• Salt Lake City

October 1918

• Chicago, along with many other cities across the United States, closes theaters, movie houses and night schools and prohibit public gatherings

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October 1918 and waves

• Chicago, along with many other cities across the United States, closes theaters, movie houses and night schools and prohibit public gatherings

• Second and third waves occur in the US

Multiple Choice

What type of flu virus caused the 1918 flu?

• swine

• bird

Morbidity and Mortality

• one-third of the world’s population became infected with this virus

• 675,000 occurring in the United States

Mortality

• Mortality was high in people younger than 5 years old, 20-40 years old, and 65 years and older.

• The high mortality in healthy people, including those in the 20-40 year age group, was a unique feature of this pandemic

Poll

In terms of mortality(thus far), which was worse? Flu of 1918 or COVID 19

• Flu 1918

• COVID 19

Boston Red Cross Volunteers making masks

Sadie Afraid of His Horses

https://www.cdc.gov/publications/panflu/stories/cure_janis.html

Multiple Choice

Why was the Influenza virus called the Spanish Flu?

• Many people who were infected came from Spain during 1918,

• Researchers found evidence of the virus in the waters of Spain.

• Since Spain wasn’t involved in World War I, its newspapers were the first to include news about the flu. This made people think that the virus started in Spain.

Multiple Choice

How did the Spanish flu death toll compare with that f World War I?

• More people died in World War I

• More people died from the flu than the war

• World War I deaths and flu deaths and flu deaths were the same

• Only a few people died from the flu

Multiple Choice

What did towns and cities run out of?

• Coffins

• Medicine

• Medical Staff

• Food

Multiple Choice

No cure - ran out of victims to infect - this is why it died out

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

Scientist believe that through reassortment the 1918 influenza virus was passed from...

• Pigs > Birds > Humans

• Birds > Pigs > Humans

• Humans > Pigs > Birds

Multiple Choice

What is the difference between Pandemic and Epidemic?

• Epidemic - A rapidly spreading disease that affects the local population.

  Pandemic - A rapidly spreading disease that affects the world population.

• Epidemic - A rapidly spreading disease that affects the world population.

  Pandemic - A rapidly spreading disease that affects the local population.

Multiple Choice

The flu is an air-born virus that is very contagious.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

How many people died from the Spanish influenza?

• 50-100 Million

• 1 million

• 5,000

• 20-40 million

Multiple Choice

Where did the flu pandemic begin?

• New York, New York

• Spain

• Ft. Riley, Kansas

• Bordeaux, France