influenza pandemic of 1918–19: Quick Facts

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Facts

Also Known As	Spanish influenza pandemic • Spanish flu
Date	March 1918 - 1919

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Influenza pandemic of 1918–19

Infographic summarizing the 1918-19 influenza pandemic, including definitions of influenza and pandemic, origins, symptoms, reasons for the name Spanish flu, rapid spread factors, three pandemic waves, death tolls in the U.S. and worldwide, age group most affected, and comparison to other major pandemics. Key points include H1N1 virus with avian genes, spread during World War I, no vaccines or tests at the time, and estimated global deaths ranging from 25 to 50 million.

influenza A H1N1 virus

Influenza pandemic of 1918–19: Walter Reed Hospital

Infographic bar graph comparing U.S. death tolls from major events, with COVID-19 at over 1.1 million deaths, the Civil War and 1918-19 flu pandemic each above 675,000, and smaller bars for wars, pandemics, and disasters such as World War II, the Vietnam War, and September 11.

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influenza Influenza Pandemic of 1918–19 Chart How Long Did the Flu Pandemic of 1918 Last?

Warm water fuels Hurricane Katrina. This image depicts a 3-day average of actual dea surface temperatures for the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, from August 25-27, 2005.

Disasters of Historic Proportion