A history lesson we can't afford to ignore - A look at Covid-19 and the Spanish Flu.

By Cybercobra at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0,  https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9878954

 

In early 1918, a disease - called the Spanish Flu - began to spread around the globe.  Although experts disagree on where it had it's origins, the first confirmed cases occurred in the Mid-West of the United States (Fort Riley - Kansas).  

The disease spread rapidly throughout the United States, Canada and then to Europe, Asia, Australia and South America thanks largely to World War 1. The stresses from combat, malnutrition, and close quarters all led to the virus easily spreading during war time.

Government cover-ups, denials and genuine lack of truth, in most countries, but specifically the USA, led to outbreaks in civilian populations. American President, Woodrow Wilson, was concerned that any discussion about an American epidemic would lower morale in troops both those in training and those overseas. His government at the time decided not to spread word - through the media - about the disease.  They could ill afford to not send troops to the front lines.

In total, over 500 million people world-wide were infected and between 20-50 million people died as a result.  Failure to quarantine, to take preventive measures, and lack of public information is generally regarded as the reason this became the worlds worst pandemic.

Note: This same flu virus reoccurred in 2009, but a vaccine was developed and the outbreak was limited - compared to 1918.

First Outbreaks of Spanish Flu (H1N1)

On March 3 or 4th in 1918, an army cook at Fort Riley, Kansas, Albert Gitchell, felt ill, but went to work regardless - as World War One was raging and troops had to be fed as they were being trained for combat. It was his duty to help cook and serve food to these brave young men.

Images from the History of Medicine (IHM), Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=47633085

Gitchell became the first confirmed case of the Spanish Flu - or H1N1, although there were some similar cases reported earlier (Haskell County - January 1918), no examinations of the sick were recorded.

A local doctor, Loring Miner, warned the US Public Health Service of this, but was ignored. A few days later - after 500 soldiers showed similar symptoms - the army base was quarantined. This was the case of too-little-too-late, the damage and disease had already begun to spread.

Speculation is that the soldiers showing signs of this disease were shipped off to war from January to April of 1918 and spread the disease overseas.  Because of the war - the reported numbers of dead and infected vary tremendously from country to country.

By mid-March, the virus had spread to large populated areas such as New York, Chicago, Philadelphia as well as Spain, France, the UK and other allied countries.

In the USA, the epidemic seemed to be under control by the end of the summer.  Officials assumed the worst was over and began to have life return to normal. Wounded and possibly infected soldiers were shipped home in early September of that year, with no thought to being quarantined or separated from the main population.

Short sighted politicians refused to cancel events in many cities.  Philadelphia, for example, held a war-bonds fundraising parade in early October, despite medical warnings.  Weeks earlier, a ship filled with returning soldiers docked in Philly, soldiers returned to their families.  Within a few days 600 or so of the dock workers came down with the flu, yet despite this evidence, no cancellations took place.  Money was needed for the war effort, and it became more important that controlling the spread of the disease - in some American cities.

That fateful day, in the city of brotherly love, over 200,000 people lined the streets to cheer on their war heroes and to raise funds for the war effort.  Within ten days, 12,000 people had died in the city, which eventually resulted in a complete lock down.

In contrast, the city of St. Louis did cancel their parade - scheduled for the same day - as they noticed a small group of infected soldiers and dock workers.  Those people were isolated, treated and kept confined for 2 weeks.  As a result St. Louis saw only 700 deaths from the virus.

Second wave of Spanish Flu

The worst, however, was yet to come.  Infections - as a result of war coming to a close, returning veterans, public gatherings and celebrations for the end of WW1, created hot spots where the flu was easily transferred.

Without a vaccine, doctors were simply trying to keep those with the worst infections alive.  Some malaria-type drugs did help ease symptoms in a small amount of people, but were not effective for the most part.  

When the Armistice was signed on November 11, many troops were already en route home. With a virus that took 4 days before symptoms manifested, these people were infecting others before they even knew it.

The second, third and final waves of the virus took the majority of lives.  Estimates range from 50 Million dead to 100 million dead.  Considering there was no World Health organization at that point, the world was at war, and records from many countries are not considered accurate.  Some historians say the numbers shown are likely half of the real numbers.

Canada didn't fare much better than any other country.  Despite being a smaller country (population was about 8.5Million), about 55,000 people died, again mostly in their mid 20's to mid 40's age.  The main saving grace in Canada was the distance between population centres.

Image: courtesy of the National Museum of Health and Medicine)
Pandemic Influenza: The Inside Story. Nicholls H, PLoS Biology Vol. 4/2/2006, e50 https://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.0040050,
Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1441889

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2020 Outbreak of Corona Virus

The Corona virus, or SARS-COVID-2 (also HCOV-19) is a novel virus, meaning it has never been seen before, but is a member of the Corona family.  The actual Corona stream has been known for decades, and causes a variety of illnesses, from the common cold to SARS and MERS.  

By https://www.scientificanimations.com - https://www.scientificanimations.com/wiki-images/, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=86436446

 

It is more or less affirmed that it started in or around Wuhan, China likely in December 2019. Some of the first known cases (outside China) appeared in Japan in January, 2020. The World Health Organization monitored the two reported cases.  Additional cases began to appear in other Eastern countries in mid-January.  Reports surfaced that cases appeared in the USA and Canada in early February.

Here is a news release issued January 13 by the WHO.

Delays in reporting this by Chinese authorities, The delay by the World Health Organization by not advising a travel ban to China (until it was too late), and governments in some countries to take the Pandemic lightly have resulted in (at time of this publication) almost 25 Million people infected and close to 900,000 deaths across the planet.  

This is just the first wave.  When schools and commerce return to a semblance of normal, the second wave will hit.  If the Spanish Flu is a guideline, then we can expect to see a worsening in October or November this year.  Flu season, in the Northern hemisphere - ranging from late November to mid-March could be part of this second wave or even a third wave.

Unlike the Spanish Flu, which killed people in the age range of 18-45 - the Corona virus seems to affect everyone differently.  Deaths have been mostly in the elderly - from 60 years old and up, but people with weakened immune systems are also at risk in the under 50 age range appears to be more prevalent than originally anticipated.

Currently the United States is the most infected country on the planet. Partly due to super-spreader events such as summer beach parties, denials about the seriousness of the virus, marches and demonstrations in recent weeks, are all contributing to the spread of the disease.

Ignorance of its severity by government officials, refusals by some citizens to comply with local regulations, and a general lackadaisical attitude by many youth have made containing the disease very difficult. (Many claim first amendment rights are being obliterated).

Like Philly in 1918, denials, citizens refusals to take actions, and a lackluster attitude have resulted in a spread of this disease and very little containment.  The current lack of trust by the populace of the media, and spread of mis-information on social media, have made this battle a war of its own.

While some countries, Canada for example have managed to curtail the spread to a large degree, other countries - such as USA, India, Brazil, Russia and Peru among others, have done less and the virus has spread like wild-fire. In many countries, money, the economy and stock averages have become more important that people's lives.

India was one of the worst hit countries in 1918 - along with the United States - and history is repeating itself 102 years later - or so it seems.

Unlike the 1918 Pandemic, many countries have curtailed travel, some both foreign and domestic, implemented bans on large public gatherings, added requirements such as hand sanitizing and masks when entering public establishments, and keeping a safe distance from people outside their immediate bubble.

Let's hope the expected second wave isn't as bad as the one in 1918-1919.