Introduction
The 1918 Spanish Flu resulted in the exposure of one-third of the world’s population with an overall death estimate of 50-100 million people 1,2. In the United States, mortality rates were as high as 675,000 people representing 28% of the population2,3. The Spanish Flu affected the United States in three waves. Symptoms during the onset of Spanish Flu in March of 1918, were overall not perceived to be alarming to the American Population. Whereas during the second wave of the historic pandemic, typical flu-like symptoms quickly escalated into a severe form of pneumonia, cyanosis of the face, with possible hemorrhaging of the face (nose, ears, and eyes) 2.
Although the Spanish Flu is considered the most deadly pandemic, many lessons …show more content…
In the United States during March 1918, many cases of the Flu could have been characterized as grippe, a cold, or pneumonia. The American people were not aware the flu was an emerging threat during the first wave.
The verdict is still out on where the Flu originated. There is a lack of substantial evidence to confirm the first case of the deadly flu. Some historians feel that the Spanish Flu had it start in the Kansas as early as January 1918 6. During March of 1918, cases of deadly flu were confirmed in Detroit, and South Carolina, and again in Kansas 7 before Spain took ownership of the name in May 2018 8.
In May 1918, Spain set events in motion when they inadvertently took credit for the deadliest flu in world’s history after they wired a message to London stating “a strange form of disease of epidemic character that has appeared in Madrid. The epidemic is of a mild nature; no deaths have having been reported” …show more content…
After the announcement of the Spanish Flu, the Surgeon General was in a persistent reactive state. If standard operating procedure (SOP) had been pre-established on a federal, state, and local level with hospitals, morgues, and health departments, then the required framework would have resulted in a proactive stance against the pandemic. However, the United States was ill-prepared for a disease of this magnitude and America 's responses to the pandemic were significantly delayed
The 1918 Spanish Flu resulted in the exposure of one-third of the world’s population with an overall death estimate of 50-100 million people 1,2. In the United States, mortality rates were as high as 675,000 people representing 28% of the population2,3. The Spanish Flu affected the United States in three waves. Symptoms during the onset of Spanish Flu in March of 1918, were overall not perceived to be alarming to the American Population. Whereas during the second wave of the historic pandemic, typical flu-like symptoms quickly escalated into a severe form of pneumonia, cyanosis of the face, with possible hemorrhaging of the face (nose, ears, and eyes) 2.
Although the Spanish Flu is considered the most deadly pandemic, many lessons …show more content…
In the United States during March 1918, many cases of the Flu could have been characterized as grippe, a cold, or pneumonia. The American people were not aware the flu was an emerging threat during the first wave.
The verdict is still out on where the Flu originated. There is a lack of substantial evidence to confirm the first case of the deadly flu. Some historians feel that the Spanish Flu had it start in the Kansas as early as January 1918 6. During March of 1918, cases of deadly flu were confirmed in Detroit, and South Carolina, and again in Kansas 7 before Spain took ownership of the name in May 2018 8.
In May 1918, Spain set events in motion when they inadvertently took credit for the deadliest flu in world’s history after they wired a message to London stating “a strange form of disease of epidemic character that has appeared in Madrid. The epidemic is of a mild nature; no deaths have having been reported” …show more content…
After the announcement of the Spanish Flu, the Surgeon General was in a persistent reactive state. If standard operating procedure (SOP) had been pre-established on a federal, state, and local level with hospitals, morgues, and health departments, then the required framework would have resulted in a proactive stance against the pandemic. However, the United States was ill-prepared for a disease of this magnitude and America 's responses to the pandemic were significantly delayed