Pandemic of 1918

In 1918 the influenza (Spanish flu) pandemic nearly spread to all parts of the world. Most of the victims of the virus were young, healthy adults, unlike most pandemics which affect children and the elderly the most. The pandemic lasted from March 1918 until June 1920.

The Spanish influenza even spread to the Arctic and remote Pacific islands. Somewhere between fifty and one hundred million casualties that were caused by the pandemic were estimated. Approximately 3% of the world's population died from the disease. And an estimated 500 million were infected by the virus overall.

This flu pandemic is supposed to be the worst one of all times, as it killed about 20% of those who were infected with the disease, as compared to others that kill only about 0.1 %. To date, no other pandemic has killed as many people as the Spanish flu pandemic. This is why the Spanish flu has been called the greatest medical holocaust in history.

The number of deaths caused by pneumonia in this pandemic were also extremely high. A type of bacterial pneumonia is usually encountered as a secondary infection while you had the Spanish flu. Another symptom of the flu is the hemorrhage of various mucous membranes. This included those of the nose, intestine, stomach etc. Bleeding ears and petechia were also symptoms. Petechia is the formation of red or purple spots on the body, due to hemorrhages.

Overall this virus was devastating to people around the world. The fact that the Spanish Flu is referred to as "the greatest medical holocaust", really puts it into perspective. The fact that this virus was most deadly to young, healthy adults is what is most frightening to me. I believe that because most people didn't what was causing the Spanish flu, it became more scary to them.