100 years
ago, celebrations marking the end of the First World War were cut short by the
onslaught of a devastating disease - the 1918-19 influenza pandemic. Its early
origins and initial geographical starting point still remain a mystery but in
the Summer of 1918, there was a second wave of a far more virulent form of the
influenza virus than anyone could have anticipated. Soon dubbed ‘Spanish Flu’
after its effects were reported in the country’s newspapers, the virus rapidly
spread across much of the globe to become one of the worst natural disasters in
human history.
To mark the
centenary and to highlight vital scientific research, the University of
Cambridge has made a new film exploring what we have learnt about Spanish Flu,
the urgent threat posed by influenza today, and how scientists are preparing
for future pandemics.
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