The 1918 Spanish Flu was the most severe pandemic in recent history. It was called the “Spanish Flu,” not because it originated in Spain, but because this neutral nation freely reported the news of the flu while the countries involved in the war kept quiet about the severity and spread of the disease to keep up public morale and not reveal illness among the soldiers during wartime.

We now know the flu was caused by the H1N1 virus with genes of avian (bird) origin. First identified in military personnel in the spring Continue reading →