The Spanish Flu 1918-1919
The Spanish Flu We’ve talked about the many deaths suffered during WWI, but the Spanish Flu caused more Canadian deaths than the entire war One of the worst flu epidemics known Spanish Flu Virus
What was the Spanish Flu? An unusually severe and deadly Influenza A virus strain of subtype H1N1 (sound familiar?) Did not originate from Spain Its source was among the new recruits pouring into the American Army camps after the entry of the U.S. into WWI By 1918, spread to Canadian troops serving in France
Quickly moved from the military to civilian population Its spread was extremely rapid, in part due to the number of soldiers returning home to all parts of the world at the end of the war As many as 1 in 4 people worldwide contracted the Spanish Flu