The 1918 Influenza Pandemic, also called the "Spanish Flu," killed more people than any other virus in recorded history, according to the National Archives. This deadly virus was responsible for killing over 50 million people worldwide and attacking more than 500 million.
Origin
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this virus was believed to be an avian strain and originally broke out in Asia.
Three Waves
The 1918 influenza pandemic came in three waves. The first wave was early spring of 1918, the second wave came six months later, and the third came in early 1919.
Mortality Rate
The mortality rate was at 2.5 percent, compared to the less than 0.1 percent for other influenza epidemics. Up to 100 million people died worldwide.
American Population
According to the National Archives, over 25 percent of the American population was affected by this virus. The American population's life expectancy dropped 12 years during this epidemic.
Young Adults
Nearly half of the influenza deaths were in individuals aged 20 to 40 years old. The death rate was 20 times higher than in previous years, according to the CDC.
