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Flu Epidemics

Seasonal flu outbreaks usually begin suddenly and occur mainly in the late fall and winter. In the northern hemisphere, the typical flu season occurs from November to March. Flu epidemics can spread rapidly through communities and even across vast geographic distance. Worldwide influenza epidemics (pandemic) have occurred several times in the last century.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially declared an H1N1 pandemic in 2009. More than 30,000 cases have been reported in 74 countries. The virulence of influenza epidemics and pandemics vary. The last H1N1 influenza pandemic occurred in 1918. It took the lives of 500,000 Americans and 20 million people worldwide. In Pennsylvania alone, during one month, over 100,000 deaths occurred. In San Francisco, during the same outbreak, 78% of hospital nurses fell ill with influenza. Regardless of the vast improvements in medical care since the last virulent pandemic, another is highly likely, if not inevitable. Health care professionals need to be prepared.

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A single flu epidemic could spread throughout the entire world.