29 August 2008
U.S. Health Agency Releases 1918 Influenza Storybook
Internet narratives help health officials prepare for future pandemics
Washington – Personal stories from survivors, families and friends who lived through influenza pandemics in 1918 and 1957 went online August 21 at the Web site of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The 1918 Pandemic Flu Storybook, released 90 years after the 1918 flu pandemic that killed millions of people around the world, contains 50 stories from individuals in 24 states, and photos and narrative videos from the storytellers.
“Complacency is enemy Number 1 when it comes to preparing for another influenza pandemic,” CDC Director Dr. Julie Gerberding said in a statement. “These stories, told so eloquently by survivors, family members and friends from past pandemics, serve as a sobering reminder of the devastating impact that influenza can have and reading them is a must for anyone involved in public health preparedness.”
The influenza pandemic that swept the world in 1918 killed an estimated 50 million people, according to the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration Web site. One-fifth of the world's population was infected by the virus. Within months, it had killed more people than any other illness in recorded history.
The virus emerged in two phases. In late spring of 1918, the first phase, called the "three-day fever," appeared without warning. Few deaths were reported. Victims recovered after a few days. When the disease surfaced again that fall, it was more severe.
No scientist, doctor or health official could identify the disease. Some victims died within hours of the first symptoms. Others succumbed after a few days, when their lungs filled with fluid and they suffocated.
In the United States, the flu afflicted more than 25 percent of the population; in one year, average life expectancy fell by 12 years. Deaths worldwide were estimated at 50 million and could have been as high as 100 million, according to the CDC.
The idea for the storybook arose during crisis and emergency risk communication training that CDC conducts with health professionals. The book offers valuable insight to public health officials preparing for the possibility of a future pandemic.
CDC said it welcomes new submissions about the 1918 pandemic and the 1968 Hong Kong flu pandemic and will update the book every several months.
The storybook is available on the U.S. government pandemic flu Web site.
