THE SPANISH FLU

1918-1920

Period: 1918 to 1920

First case reported

Mar 11, 1918

First person at Kansas (military camp) diagnosed with a new strain of flu.
Many soldiers were sent to Europe. There the flu spread. “American soldiers got sick. English soldiers. French. German. As it spread, the microbe mutated, day by day becoming more and more deadly.”

Death toll in Spain rises in the month of May

May 1, 1918

Spain reports flu has killed 8 million people this month(May). The virus became known to Americans as "Spanish Flu".

Warning issued by Public health officials

Jul 1, 1918

Public health officials in Philadelphia issue a warning about what they call the “Spanish influenza”.

Sailors reported being sick

Aug 17, 1918

Flu’s deadly second wave begins infecting 60 navy sailors in Boston.

First case reported in France

Aug 22, 1918

Flu cases are first reported in France, where most U.S military personnel entered Europe.

Report from Dr. Victor Vaughn

Sep 1, 1918

hundreds of young stalwart men in uniform coming into the wards of the hospital. Every bed was full, yet others crowded in. The faces wore a bluish cast; a cough brought up the blood-stained sputum. That day, 63 men die of influenza.

Epidemic reported

Sep 5, 1918

Massachusetts Department of Health informs local newspapers that they are dealing with an epidemic

Public places were closed

Sep 25, 1918

In Philadelphia, 200,000 people attend the parade to support the fourth liberty loan drive. After few days, many people got infected and flu was declared epidemic. Public places were closed until further notice.

Death toll rises

Oct 2, 1918

In Boston, 202 people died. The Liberty Bond parades are cancelled as well as all sporting events.

Flu reaches the "Seattle" seaport

Oct 3, 1918

Flu reaches Seattle (seaport) with 700 sick and 1 dead.

Philadelphia reports death toll

Oct 6, 1918

In Philadelphia, 286 people die in one day.

New York reports death toll

Oct 15, 1918

In a single day, 851 New Yorkers die The death rate in Philly was also was 700 times the average for a week

Masks became mandatory

Oct 30, 1918

Washington state passes a law that says to wear mask in public.

Halloween cancelled

Oct 31, 1918

Halloween events were cancelled nationwide. October was also the deadliest month of the epidemic killing 195,000 Americans

News world print

Nov 3, 1918

News world print puts out the precautionary measures to avoid flu.

WWI ends

Nov 11, 1918

World War I ends. Celebrations bring crowd together that led the spread of virus and 5000 cases were reported after that in San Francisco.

Seattle reopens schools

Jan 1, 1919

Seattle reopens its schools.

No new deaths reported

Mar 28, 1919

For the first time since the outbreak began, no new deaths from Spanish flu were reported in Seattle. As quickly as it appeared, the flu silently vanishes.

Spanish flu vanishes

1920