A century ago, an outbreak of influenza (1918 flu pandemic) spread rapidly across the world and killed between 30 to 50 million people with a one and a half year. The number of patients and dead bodies overwhelmed hospitals, Quarantine centers, and cemeteries. It was first reported in the Madrid daily newspaper ABC.
Most influenza outbreaks target mostly older people, but the Spanish flu pandemic had the highest mortality rate for young adults, making it one of the deadliest epidemics in human history. To maintain morale, the Great War censors minimized the early reports of illness and mortality in countries like France, Italy, Germany United Kingdom, and the United States. The Spanish media was free to report on it in gory detail. When the virus sickened King Alfonso XIII of Spain and began affecting more people, the nickname was given “Spanish flu.” As World War one was coming to an end, soldiers and people were traveling across the globe, aiding the rapid spread of the disease.
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