The Biggest Virus Crisis Humanity in the Past
I believe that everyone is aware of COVID-19, which has recently become an issue around the world. COVID-19 is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, a new type of strain first reported in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, in November 2019. COVID-19 began to spread around the world two months after the outbreak, spread to every country in the world by the third month, and engulfed all continents within four months of the outbreak, recording numerous confirmed cases and deaths.
Experts say that, unlike SARS or MERS, this outbreak has lasted for a long time, so it would not be an exaggeration to call it the second Black Death or the Spanish flu. COVID-19 is expected to be recorded as one of the worst infectious diseases that have engulfed the entire globe since the 21st century. This is not the first time a pandemic like this has occurred, and there have been various similar cases in the past. I’d like to discuss the Spanish flu, which is similar to COVID-19, and how it has affected human history.
The Spanish flu has also been known as the 1918 flu pandemic, one of three influenza pandemics that occurred in the 20th century and caused the greatest loss of life and economic loss in human history. The exact origin of the Spanish flu, which had such a huge impact around the world, is still unknown, but there are several hypotheses about its origins.
There is a hypothesis that it first occurred at a British military garrison in the Étaples region of France during World War I, and there is also a hypothesis that it first occurred at Fort Riley, a military facility in Kansas, USA. In addition, a hypothesis has recently been raised that the Spanish flu first broke out in northern China and was later quickly spread to Western Europe by Chinese workers who immigrated to the UK, France, etc. Among various hypotheses, the conclusion is that the Spanish flu spread to almost all regions of the world and had a tremendous impact.
The question here is, why was it called the Spanish flu even though its origin was not in Spain? That is, it is not called this because the flu originated in Spain. Spain was a neutral country during World War I, and there was no wartime news censorship. Therefore, the Spanish media was the first in the world to report deaths from this pandemic, thus eliminating the prevalent flu. It was called the Spanish flu.
The Spanish flu, caused by the H1N1 virus, a subtype of the influenza A virus, was not to be taken lightly. Its symptoms, similar to typical influenza, included fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, and fatigue. However, the disease could progress to pneumonia and rapid deterioration of respiratory function, leading to the death of some patients. This severity of symptoms is a stark reminder of the potential dangers of infectious diseases.
In particular, the fatality rate of the Spanish flu was about 10-20%, much higher than seasonal influenza (commonly called winter flu), which had a fatality rate of about 0.1%. Additionally, while seasonal influenza has a high mortality rate in infants and the elderly, Spanish flu is known to have a higher mortality rate in healthy adults.
The reason for this high mortality rate and the mortality rate trend opposite to that of seasonal influenza is that the Spanish flu virus caused a cytokine storm (systemic inflammatory response syndrome caused by an excessive immune response), resulting in a high mortality rate. There is a hypothesis that the fatality rate may have been higher in healthy adults with a dominant immune response to external pathogens.
For these reasons, approximately 500 million people worldwide were infected with the Spanish flu from 1918 to 1920, of which 50 million to up to 100 million (about 3-5% of the world’s population at the time) are estimated to have died. It is more than the deaths of World War I (1914 to 1918) that were underway at the time and the deaths of World War II (about 50 million), known as the war that caused the most significant casualties in human history.
At the time, health authorities and the government used several response methods. We tried various measures such as wearing masks, quarantining, and social distancing, but these responses failed to stop the rapidly spreading virus. In addition, the biggest problem was that at the time the Spanish flu was prevalent, there was no treatment for influenza, and due to the lower level of medical care, limitations of the medical system, and insufficient medical resources, an excessive number of patients were accommodated in a small space, resulting in the spread of germs. It is presumed that secondary infection may have spread significantly.
The Spanish flu pandemic finally died in 1919, but the exact process of ending it is still unknown. The reasons why this was resolved are still a matter of debate among historians and scientists and are currently attributed to factors such as improved hygiene practices, the natural attenuation of the virus, and the establishment of herd immunity.
Today, the Spanish flu has provided crucial lessons about humanity’s response and future prospects. It has underscored the importance of social solidarity and response, the role of prevention and measures, and the need for preparation for future outbreaks. The Spanish flu’s impact, both at the time and in modern times, has provided significant lessons about humanity’s response to and prevention of infectious diseases.
In the face of a contagious disease outbreak such as COVID-19, adequate measures are being taken by referring to response methods and lessons learned from the Spanish flu. The historical significance and impact of the Spanish flu continue to be studied today, offering valuable insights for future efforts to ensure human health and safety.
By: Baek Yunhee
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