Influenza Epidemic of 1918

The influenza epidemic that swept the world in 1918, however, was another story. In as little as 6 months, the flu killed more than 25 million people; that's more than three times the number of people killed in World War 1, and makes it's the deadliest epidemic in history.

 

Especially hard hit were the cities of Freetown, Sierra Leone; Brest, a French naval port; and Boston. In Boston, 10 percent of the population contracted the flu, and 60 percent of sufferers died. The illness decimated US troops at home and abroad; by October, 34,000 soldiers had died in battle, compared with 24,000 from the flu.

 

Overall, the United States lost more than 500,000; England and Wales, 200,000; and Samoa, a quarter of its population. Thankfully, the flu vanished abruptly in 1919, although less-severe outbreaks have occurred several times since.

 

The particular flu strain that caused the epidemic was often referred to as Spanish flu ―although it originated in the United States.

 

Aside from getting a flu vaccination, one of the best ways to fight the spread of flu is to wash your hands frequently and cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze.

 

Influenza returned in a pandemic form in 1957 and again in 1968, each time killing tens of thousands of Americans.