On March 11, 1918, Private Albert Gitchell, a company cook, came down with symptoms that at first appeared to be from a bad cold. Shortly thereafter, the flu infected soldiers on board transport ships. Spanish flu was also more infectious than COVID-19, caused symptoms much faster and was far more deadly, Nichols said. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal website. Despite the attempt to isolate those with symptoms, this extremely contagious flu quickly spread through Fort Riley. This created the false impression that the virus originated in Spain, and the country was especially hard hit. People who have flu often feel some or all of these symptoms: fever* or feeling feverish/chills; cough; sore throat; runny or stuffy nose; Spanish flu did indeed experience a second wave, one which was undoubtedly worse than the first as the virus began to mutate and get stronger. Some people also had gastrointestinal symptoms, including diarrhea and vomiting. Flu usually comes on suddenly. It was caused by an H1N1 virus that originated in birds. Within an hour, several additional soldiers had come down with the same symptoms and were also isolated. Unintentionally, American troops brought this new flu with them to Europe. It was first identified in the U.S. in military personnel in the spring of 1918. 1918 Pandemic Influenza: Three Waves. The third wave of the Spanish flu was not as deadly as the second, but it was still deadlier than the first. Flu is different from a cold. Coupled with less than adequate conditions on the front line of the war for military personnel, and the high level of troop movement around the world, the circumstances were perfect for the virus to spread. Even worse, nurses and doctors were already in short supply because so many of them had gone to Europe to help with the war effort. When the Spanish flu killed millions of people around the world, it transcended into the lives of everyone. Spitting and coughing in public was prohibited. That's more people than were killed in World War I. Finally, the disease was unlike most flus in that it decimated even the traditionally more robust segments of the population (ages 20-40), taking the lives of many within 3 days of showing symptoms. From 1918 to 1920, H1N1 influenza A infected 500 million people around the world (almost a third of the world’s population at the time), including people on remote Pacific islands and in the Arctic. Flu virus infection of the respiratory tract can trigger an extreme inflammatory response in the body and can lead to sepsis, the body’s life-threatening response to infection. The victims of the 1918 Spanish flu suffered greatly. Although the world has faced several major pandemics over the last 100 years, one of the worst was the 1918 influenza pandemic, the so-called Spanish flu. exclamation square light iconIs it Flu or COVID-19? Even the garden-variety flu can be deadly, but usually only for the very young or very old. However, as people rushed to the streets and gave kisses and hugs to returning soldiers, they also started a third wave of the Spanish flu. Some cities ordered everyone to wear masks. Flu Symptoms. Some say it ended in the spring of 1919, while others believe it continued to claim victims through 1920. 1918 - symptoms of the killer Spanish flu 0 The first wave of the flu followed typical flu symptoms consisting of a three-day fever, a cough and a runny nose, followed by a rapid convalescence. Exploring the pandemics. No one is quite sure where the Spanish flu first struck. As well one week, the number of bodies from the victims of the Spanish had... 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