Risk Talk on pandemic preparedness in the 21st century

January 2008 – Infectious disease specialists agree that it cannot be predicted when the next influenza pandemic will occur. However, since documentation began in the 16th century, the world has witnessed an average of three global outbreaks of influenza per century. The 20th century has seen three such pandemics. The first and most devastating pandemic, known as ‘Spanish Flu’
occurred in 1918 –19, followed by ‘Asian Flu’ in 1957– 58, and ‘Hong Kong Flu’ in 1968 – 69. The ‘Spanish Flu’ was so severe that it killed almost 50 million people worldwide. The unique virulence of the 1918 virus caused a catastrophe against which all past and future pandemics are measured.

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