Health Officer Fowler orders all public gatherings cancelled and all churches, theaters, and movie houses closed
On Oct. 3, 1918, the Health Officer for Washington, DC, Dr. W.C. Fowler ordered all public gatherings cancelled…
Cincinnati Health Officer responded to the influenza threat by enacting hospital measures to protect people
On Oct. 3, 1918, Cincinnati Health Officer Dr. William H. Peters responded to the influenza threat by enacting…
Pennsylvania State Health Commissioner mandated state-wide closure for public amusement venues
On Oct. 3, 1918, state Health Commissioner Dr. Franklin B. Royer, witnessing the growing epidemic across Pennsylvania, issued…
Washington, D.C. Health Officer ordered all public schools closed during the influenza pandemic
On Oct. 2, 1918, the Washington, D.C. school board closed all public schools (which had 50,000 students). The…
Kentucky Secretary of the state Board of Health made influenza a reportable disease across the state
On Oct. 2, 1918, Kentucky Secretary of the state Board of Health Dr. Joseph N. McCormack made influenza…
Health Commissioner ordered isolation of known influenza cases at Cook County Hospital
By Sept. 30, 1918, with 260 cases in Chicago, Health Commissioner Dr. John Dill Robertson ordered isolation of…
New Orleans reported its first influenza-related death
On Sept. 29, 1918, New Orleans newspapers reported the city’s first local influenza death. Anticipating an epidemic, the…
Minneapolis civilian, military, and school officials announced arrival of the influenza epidemic
On Sept. 29, 1918, Minneapolis civilian, military, and school officials announced the arrival of the influenza epidemic to…
The Naval Reserve Station at Los Angeles Harbor was placed under quarantine as a precautionary measure for influenza
On Sept. 28, 1918, the Naval Reserve Station at Los Angeles Harbor was placed under quarantine as a…
Large Philadelphia parade of 200,000 people led to large spike in influenza cases
On Sept. 28, 1918, Philadelphia participated in a large parade of about 200,000 people, which led to a…
Nashville reported its first influenza cases
On Sept. 27, 1918, local Nashville newspapers reported that there were at least a handful of cases within…
Baltimore city Health Commissioner dismissed the circulating influenza as not being exceptional
On Sept. 26, 1918, Baltimore city Health Commissioner Dr. John Blake dismissed the circulating influenza as not being…
Over 100 soldiers near Louisville were reported to have influenza
On Sept. 24, 1918, over 100 soldiers near Louisville were reported to have influenza, from which the outbreak…
Camp Logan reported 700 cases of influenza, in addition to other camps’ cases
On Sept. 24, 1918, as the national press covered the escalating influenza epidemic on the East Coast, Dallas…
The Spanish Flu reached San Francisco
On Sept. 23, 1918, the Spanish Flu reached San Francisco when city health officer Dr. William C. Hassler…
The total number of influenza victims jumped to 334
By Sept. 23, 1918, the total number of influenza victims jumped to 334. That situation was growing increasingly…
Cleveland received its first warning of the influenza epidemic
On Sept. 22, 1918, Cleveland received its first warning of the influenza epidemic from City Health Commissioner Dr….
The Philadelphia Board of Health made influenza a mandatory reportable disease
On Sept. 21, 1918, the Philadelphia Board of Health made influenza a mandatory reportable disease, as the epidemic…
Atlanta residents learned that nearby soldiers had been placed under quarantine due to the influenza epidemic
On Sept. 18, 1918, Atlanta residents learned that nearby soldiers had been placed under quarantine due to the…
NYC’s Board of Health made influenza a reportable disease, requiring quarantine
On Sept. 17, 1918, NYC’s Board of Health made influenza a reportable disease, requiring quarantine for infected patients….
New York City’s health commissioner placed the entire Port of New York under quarantine
On Sept. 12, 1918, following the arrival of a number of ships with influenza-infected passengers, New York Cityﾒs…
Two hundred sick sailors were admitted to the new emergency hospital
On Sept. 10, 1918, two hundred sick sailors were admitted to the new emergency hospital. Meanwhile, Chelsea Naval…
Influenza arrived in Illinois after sailors at Great Lakes Naval Training Station fell ill
On Sept. 8, 1918, influenza arrived in Illinois after sailors at Great Lakes Naval Training Station fell ill….
Massachusetts State Department of Health warned that influenza would likely spread to the Boston population
On Sept. 5, 1918, Dr. John S. Hitchcock, the head of the communicable disease section of the Massachusetts…
The first influenza epidemic cases arrived in New York City
On Aug. 11, 1918, the first influenza epidemic cases arrived in New York City with a Norwegian vessel…
First mention of influenza appeared in weekly public health report
On Apr. 4, 1918, the first mention of influenza appeared in a weekly public health report. The report…
Swine influenza subtype H1N1 first appeared
In the summer of 1918, the swine influenza virus first appeared in western Illinois, where it caused not…
Kansas City suffered over 11,000 influenza cases and over 2,300 deaths from the influenza epidemic
By spring 1919, Kansas City had suffered over 11,000 influenza cases and over 2,300 deaths from the epidemic,…
Between 25 and 50 million people died from the influenza outbreak that began in 1918
In 1918, It was estimated that about 500 million people or one-third of the world’s population became infected…
Polio epidemic spread throughout New York killing more than 2,300 mostly children
On Jun. 17, 1916, New York City experienced the first large epidemic of polio (poliomyletis), with over 9,000…