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1957 Flu Pandemic, The 1957 flu pandemic was deadly, but milder than the 1918 event. The virus caused an estimated 70,000 deaths in the United States. The seven stories presented in this section are retold by survivors from New York to California.

1957 Flu Pandemic, The 1957 flu pandemic was deadly, but milder than the 1918 event. The virus caused an estimated 70,000 deaths in the United States. The seven stories presented in this section are retold by survivors from New York to California.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Pandemic Flu Storybook provides readers with an intimate look at the impact pandemic flu events have had on both survivors and the families and friends of non-survivors. The stories within the pages of this book are not folklore, but personal recollections from the 1918 and 1957 events. This collection of stories was first released online in 2008 to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the 1918 flu pandemic. The 1918 flu pandemic occurred towards the end of World War I. Despite the intensity of that global conflict, more people died during the flu pandemic than were killed during the entire war. The death toll from the flu was an estimated 50–100 million worldwide; in the United States, about 675,000 died. The 1957 flu pandemic killed 1–2 million worldwide and caused approximately 70,000 deaths in the United States.

War Stories, The first cases of illness from the 1918 flu pandemic in the United States were reported from Fort Riley, Kansas on March 11 when an Army private became ill; complaining of fever, sore throat, and headache. Military personnel were greatly impacted by the virus and many young recruits were dead from the flu before they ever saw combat.

1957 Flu Pandemic, The 1957 flu pandemic was deadly, but milder than the 1918 event. The virus caused an estimated 70,000 deaths in the United States. The seven stories presented in this section are retold by survivors from New York to California.

In Memorial, To date, October 1918 remains the deadliest month in U.S. history when approximately 200,000 Americans died of the flu. Healthy, young adults (average age 35 years) began coughing in the morning and were dead by the evening. The family stories described in this section define true courage amid unbearable loss.

In Memorial, To date, October 1918 remains the deadliest month in U.S. history when approximately 200,000 Americans died of the flu. Healthy, young adults (average age 35 years) began coughing in the morning and were dead by the evening. The family stories described in this section define true courage amid unbearable loss.

Persons using assistive technology might not be able to fully access information in this file. For assistance, please send e-mail to: mmwrq@cdc.gov.