Briefing note on Influenza


A flu pandemic is the world’s worst nightmare.

Influenza is the infectious disease which could cause a global health emergency with the potential of economic collapse and public unrest.

Pandemics are a fact in human history. In the last century there were three major flu pandemics. Most famously the Spanish flu of 1918-19 killed up to 40 million people, more than the devastating first world war. The South East Asia flu pandemic of 1957 resulted in an estimated 2 million dead and 1968 saw the emergence of ’Hong Kong Flu’ with a death toll of 1 million.

The world is now closer to a flu pandemic than it has been at any time since 1968 according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), which urges countries to adopt preparedness plans.

EPHA has drafted a Frequently Asked Questions on influenza which explains more about the virus, pandemic flu and avian flu.

Read more:

- Related EPHA article on Avian Influenza

- Related report from a WHO-EC workshop on Influenza Preparedness planning

- Related EPHA articles on pandemic preparedness

- Information on Influenza from the European Commission

- World Health Organisation website on Influenza

Last modified on August 26 2005.