20th Century Flu Pandemics
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1918 Spanish flu: More than 20 million people died worldwide, an estimated 500,000 in the United States . Contagion was exacerbated by troop movements at the end of World War I.
- 1957 Asian flu: Responsible for about 69,800 deaths in the United States . Unlike the 1918 virus, this pandemic virus was quickly identified due to advances in scientific technology, allowing for fast production of vaccine.
- 1968 Hong Kong flu: Responsible for about 33,800 deaths in the United States . This was the mildest true pandemic of the 20th century. The lower death rate might have been due to immunity to a related flu strain and/or to the fact that the pandemic was at its peak during the Christmas holiday, when schoolchildren were home.
Anticipated Pandemics that Never Materialized
- 1976 Swine flu scare: Although the virus was novel, it did not move outside the Fort Dix , New Jersey , area, where it was first identified.
- 1977 Russian flu scare: Considered a benign pandemic by some. Others say this was not a true pandemic because the illness occurred primarily in children. The virus was similar to others that had circulated prior to 1957, so those over age 23 had some protection.
Page last updated 06/05/2006
