Just before breakfast on the morning of March 4, Private
Albert Gitchell of the U.S. Army reports to the hospital at
Fort Riley, Kansas, complaining of the cold-like symptoms
of sore throat, fever and headache.
Soon after, over 100 of his fellow soldiers had reported
similar symptoms, marking what are believed to be the
first cases in the historic influenza pandemic of 1918.
later known as Spanish flu. The flu would eventually kill
675,000 Americans and an estimated 20 million to 50
million people around the world, proving to be a far
deadlier force than even the First World War.
Meanwhile, the flu was spreading fast beyond the borders
of Western Europe, due to its exceptionally high rate of
virulence and the massive transport of men on land and
aboard ship due to the war effort.
By the end of the summer, numerous cases had been
reported in Russia, North Africa and India; China, Japan,
the Philippines and even New Zealand would eventually
fall victim as well.
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