Spanish Flu 1918

An Indian Experience

Abstract

The historians have not paid adequate attention in recording mortality rate from epidemics, however, it killed more people than wars. Spanish flu, one of the greatest epidemics in human history is the best example of it. India registered the largest death rate in the Spanish flu broke out 1918. Many villages were depopulated and the Central Province and Berar was worst hit. Around six percent of the population died in this province alone. The previous studies on the cause of large number of deaths in India found that high density of population was one of the reasons. But the present study found that death rate was less in densely populated areas buthigher in sparsely populated areas based on the analysis of the Census reports and the reports of the sanitary commissioners. It was found that one of the main reasons was poor resisting power of the Indians to the influenza virus due to non-exposure of Indians to the virus of 1830s or its variant type. Secondly, shortage of food due to the bad monsoon of 1918 and sky-rocketing prices of essential commodities consequent upon the First World War denied necessary vitamins to develop immunity among the people. Further, the outbreak of cholera and bubonic plague along with the Spanish flu increased the mortality rate. The mortality rate was higher in Indian villages rather than towns because the poverty ridden villagers could not afford the proper housing and clothing nor aware of the importance of social distancing, use of sanitizer and mask so as to prevent the spread of virus.