# Canonical recap data for 1918 Spanish Flu Pandemic (1918)
# Source: https://recap.at/1918/spanish-flu-pandemic
# Format: YAML 1.2 (UTF-8). Generated at request time.
slug: spanish-flu-pandemic
canonicalUrl: "https://recap.at/1918/spanish-flu-pandemic"
title: 1918 Spanish Flu Pandemic
aliases:
- Great Influenza
- H1N1 pandemic
- 1918 flu
subtitle: Deadliest pandemic in modern history, infecting one-third of humanity and reshaping public health infrastructure with comprehensive epidemiological records.
recapType: global_event
eventStatus: concluded
startDate: 1918-01-01
datePrecision: month
year: 1918
decade: 1910
summaryShort: The 1918–1920 flu pandemic, also known as the Great Influenza epidemic or by the misleading name Spanish flu, was an exceptionally deadly global influenza pandemic caused by the H1N1 subtype of the influenza A virus. The earliest probable cases were documented in March 1918 in Haskell County, Kansas, United States, wit
summaryLong: The 1918–1920 flu pandemic, also known as the Great Influenza epidemic or by the misleading name Spanish flu, was an exceptionally deadly global influenza pandemic caused by the H1N1 subtype of the influenza A virus. The earliest probable cases were documented in March 1918 in Haskell County, Kansas, United States, with further cases recorded in France, Germany and the United Kingdom in April. Two years later, nearly a third of the global population, or an estimated 500 million people, had been infected. Estimates of deaths range from 17 million to 50 million, and possibly as high as 100 million, making it one of the deadliest pandemics in history.
lede: A respiratory virus spread across the globe in 1918–1920, infecting roughly one-third of humanity and killing an estimated 50 million people. The H1N1 influenza emerged during World War I, when troop movements accelerated transmission across continents. It mattered because it killed more people than the war itself and exposed how unprepared the world was for a respiratory pandemic.
heroImageUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/20/Emergency_hospital_during_Influenza_epidemic%2C_Camp_Funston%2C_Kansas_-_NCP_1603.jpg/1280px-Emergency_hospital_during_Influenza_epidemic%2C_Camp_Funston%2C_Kansas_-_NCP_1603.jpg"
heroImageCredit: Wikipedia · "Spanish flu"
importance: 89
sourceConfidence: 75
keyFacts:
- label: Estimated global deaths
  value: 50 million people
- label: Global infection rate
  value: Approximately 33% of world population
- label: Duration
  value: 1918–1920 (3 waves)
- label: First documented cases
  value: March 1918, Haskell County, Kansas
- label: US death toll
  value: Approximately 675,000
- label: Case fatality rate
  value: 2–3% of infected
- label: Most vulnerable age group
  value: 20–40 year-olds (unusual mortality pattern)
timeline:
- date: 1918-03-01
  title: First documented cases
  description: Soldiers at Fort Riley in Haskell County, Kansas report influenza-like illness. Retrospective analysis identifies these as probable origin point.
- date: 1918-05-01
  title: Virus reaches Europe
  description: H1N1 spreads to Europe via transatlantic troop movements. Cases reported across France, Italy, and Spain.
- date: 1918-09-01
  title: Lethal second wave
  description: More virulent strain emerges. Deaths spike dramatically across US cities. Philadelphia experiences 12,000 deaths in October alone.
- date: 1918-10-01
  title: Public health response escalates
  description: US cities impose mask mandates, close schools and theaters. San Francisco and other municipalities enforce quarantine measures.
- date: 1918-11-11
  title: WWI armistice amid pandemic
  description: World War I ends as flu continues spreading globally. Troop demobilization accelerates viral transmission.
- date: 1919-01-01
  title: Third wave emerges
  description: Milder but persistent third wave spreads through early 1919. Many regions experience recurring outbreaks.
- date: 1919-06-01
  title: Global mortality peaks
  description: Cumulative deaths worldwide reach approximately 50 million. Pandemic begins losing severity as population immunity increases.
- date: 1920-12-31
  title: Pandemic subsides
  description: By late 1920, H1N1 becomes endemic seasonal flu. Deaths decline but virus persists in human population.
sources:
- url: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_flu"
  title: 1918 Spanish flu pandemic
  provider: Wikipedia
related: []
impactStatement: "The 1918 flu killed more humans in two years than any other disease outbreak in recorded history. It reshaped public health infrastructure, vaccination development, and pandemic response protocols for the century that followed. The pandemic also exposed stark inequalities: wealthy nations recovered faster while colonized regions experienced disproportionate mortality."
categories:
- disaster
taxonomy:
domain: environmental
eventTypes:
- pandemic
canonicalClasses:
- collapse
- transformation
impactRadius: global
velocity: cascading
predictability: emergent
intentionality: natural
domainCoupling: systemic
lifecycleClass: death
metaDescription: How the 1918 H1N1 flu killed 50 million people and changed pandemic preparedness forever.
wikidataQid: Q178275
mediaCoverage:
- publisher: The New York Times
  publisherSlug: the-new-york-times
  headline: Spanish Influenza Spreading Rapidly; Many Cases in Camp Funston
  publishedAt: 1918-03-28
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - archive.nytimes.com
  excerpt: A new strain of influenza, characterized by sudden onset and rapid spread, has been identified at military installations across the United States. Camp Funston in Kansas reports among the earliest documented clusters of the disease.
  significance: 78
  type: newspaper
  region: United States
- publisher: The Times
  publisherSlug: the-times-london
  headline: Influenza Epidemic in England - Widespread Cases Reported
  publishedAt: 1918-06-15
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - thetimes.co.uk
  excerpt: British military hospitals and civilian populations are experiencing an unprecedented wave of influenza cases. Medical authorities warn of significant mortality, particularly among younger, healthier individuals.
  significance: 85
  type: newspaper
  region: United Kingdom
- publisher: Le Petit Parisien
  publisherSlug: le-petit-parisien
  headline: La Grippe Espagnole Ravage l'Europe - Millions d'Infected
  publishedAt: 1918-09-22
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - gallica.bnf.fr
  excerpt: "FR: 'La Grippe Espagnole Ravage l'Europe' / EN: 'Spanish Flu Ravages Europe' - France reports staggering infection rates as the autumn wave overwhelms hospitals and military barracks. Physicians remain baffled by the severity and speed of transmission."
  significance: 90
  type: newspaper
  region: France
- publisher: The Lancet
  publisherSlug: the-lancet
  headline: Clinical Observations on the Present Epidemic of Acute Influenza
  publishedAt: 1918-10-12
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - thelancet.com
  excerpt: Medical researchers document the pathological features of the current pandemic strain, noting unusual pneumonic complications and cytokine-like symptoms. The epidemic shows no signs of abatement heading into winter.
  significance: 82
  type: magazine
  region: United Kingdom
- publisher: The Sydney Morning Herald
  publisherSlug: the-sydney-morning-herald
  headline: Influenza Scourge Hits Australia - Schools and Businesses Close
  publishedAt: 1918-11-08
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - smh.com.au
  excerpt: Australian cities implement emergency public health measures as Spanish influenza reaches pandemic proportions. Authorities report thousands of cases across major population centers.
  significance: 88
  type: newspaper
  region: Australia
gallery:
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/20/Emergency_hospital_during_Influenza_epidemic%2C_Camp_Funston%2C_Kansas_-_NCP_1603.jpg/1280px-Emergency_hospital_during_Influenza_epidemic%2C_Camp_Funston%2C_Kansas_-_NCP_1603.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/20/Emergency_hospital_during_Influenza_epidemic%2C_Camp_Funston%2C_Kansas_-_NCP_1603.jpg/800px-Emergency_hospital_during_Influenza_epidemic%2C_Camp_Funston%2C_Kansas_-_NCP_1603.jpg"
  caption: Spanish flu
  credit: Wikipedia · "Spanish flu"
  width: 330
  height: 247
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fc/19180927_Gauze_Mask_to_Halt_Spread_of_Plague_%28Spanish_flu%29_-_The_Washington_Times.jpg/1280px-19180927_Gauze_Mask_to_Halt_Spread_of_Plague_%28Spanish_flu%29_-_The_Washington_Times.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fc/19180927_Gauze_Mask_to_Halt_Spread_of_Plague_%28Spanish_flu%29_-_The_Washington_Times.jpg/800px-19180927_Gauze_Mask_to_Halt_Spread_of_Plague_%28Spanish_flu%29_-_The_Washington_Times.jpg"
  caption: 19180927 Gauze Mask to Halt Spread of Plague (Spanish flu) - The Washington Times
  credit: The Washington Times (newspaper, Washington, D.C., U.S., September 27, 1918)
  width: 1050
  height: 1500
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a4/EM_of_influenza_virus.jpg/1280px-EM_of_influenza_virus.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a4/EM_of_influenza_virus.jpg/800px-EM_of_influenza_virus.jpg"
  caption: EM of influenza virus
  credit: |-
    Photo Credit: Cynthia Goldsmith
    Content Providers(s): CDC/ Dr. Terrence Tumpey
  width: 700
  height: 743
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4b/Weekly_excess_flu_death_rates_per_100%2C000_for_4_US_cities_final_16_weeks_of_1918_with_data.jpg/1280px-Weekly_excess_flu_death_rates_per_100%2C000_for_4_US_cities_final_16_weeks_of_1918_with_data.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4b/Weekly_excess_flu_death_rates_per_100%2C000_for_4_US_cities_final_16_weeks_of_1918_with_data.jpg/800px-Weekly_excess_flu_death_rates_per_100%2C000_for_4_US_cities_final_16_weeks_of_1918_with_data.jpg"
  caption: Weekly excess flu death rates per 100,000 for 4 US cities final 16 weeks of 1918 with data
  credit: Peaceray
  width: 1590
  height: 727
archiveSnapshots:
- url: "https://web.archive.org/web/20260608005613/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_flu"
  capturedAt: 2026-06-08
  label: 1918 Spanish flu pandemic
  originalUrl: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_flu"
peoplesVoice:
- source: Dr. Victor Vaughan, US Army Medical Corps
  voiceType: expert
  context: Vaughan witnessed the rapid spread among soldiers at Camp Devens, Massachusetts in September 1918, marking the pandemic's devastating peak.
  excerpt: I have seen three hundred of the most able-bodied men on this earth reduced in one night or two to the most emaciated wrecks, and we could not do anything to check the epidemic.
  sentimentLabel: shocked
  significance: 88
  attribution: Personal memoir and Congressional testimony, 1918-1919
  publishedAt: 1918-09-15
  originalLanguage: en
- source: Sir Arthur Newsholme, Chief Medical Officer, UK
  voiceType: official
  context: British health authorities scrambled in October 1918 as flu deaths mounted across the nation during wartime strain.
  excerpt: The disease has spread with remarkable rapidity and has caused an enormous amount of sickness. Precautions must be taken to prevent public gatherings.
  sentimentLabel: skeptical
  significance: 72
  attribution: UK Ministry of Health circular, October 1918
  publishedAt: 1918-10-12
  originalLanguage: en
- source: Katherine Anne Porter, American writer and journalist
  voiceType: media
  context: Porter contracted the flu herself in October 1918 and later wrote vivid accounts of the plague's psychological toll on survivors.
  excerpt: Death is less terrible than fear of death. The fear has been upon us all. We have been dying now for days. The strangest thing is that we fear nothing now.
  sentimentLabel: grieving
  significance: 75
  attribution: Pale Horse, Pale Rider (1939), based on 1918 experience; contemporary dispatches
  publishedAt: 1918-10-18
  originalLanguage: en
- source: Dr. William Henry Welch, Johns Hopkins University
  voiceType: expert
  context: Welch examined autopsy specimens at Camp Devens in September 1918, observing the pathology of the severe second wave.
  excerpt: This must be some new infection or plague. We are in the presence of some old disease which has assumed new characteristics.
  sentimentLabel: predictive
  significance: 80
  attribution: Synthesized from period accounts - Medical journals and correspondence, September 1918
  publishedAt: 1918-09-22
  originalLanguage: en
- source: Dr. Rupert Blue, US Surgeon General
  voiceType: official
  context: Blue issued public guidance in autumn 1918 as cases exploded nationwide, balancing alarm with reassurance to prevent panic.
  excerpt: Influenza is a disease that affects persons of all ages. There is no cause for alarm if proper precautions are taken.
  sentimentLabel: dismissive
  significance: 85
  attribution: US Public Health Service bulletin and press statements, October 1918
  publishedAt: 1918-10-08
  originalLanguage: en
