New Delhi: At least five cases of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) have been detected in India on January 6, 2025, baffling experts who are trying to find out the severity of the virus and how it can affect us. While two cases of the virus affecting infants have been reported in Bengaluru, one case of an infected baby has been found in Ahmedabad and in Chennai and Salem, one case has been reported respectively.
The Delhi, Karnataka and Maharashtra governments have issued guidelines much like what were followed during COVID-19 to ensure preparedness for potential health challenges related to HMPV. Notably, HMPV, a respiratory infection causing flu-like symptoms was first detected in 2001. Most of us remember the chaos and upheaval that the COVID-19 caused all over the world, including India and the outbreak of the HMPV has made the common people worried about a similar repercussion. As a new threat potentially looms, in this article, we take a look one of the deadliest pandemic to have ever gripped India, the Spanish flu.
The Spanish flu of 1918: One of the deadliest pandemic ever
Also known as the 1918-1920 flu pandemic, the Spanish flu is one of the deadliest recorded pandemic in the world history. It was caused by the H1N1 subtype of the influenza A virus and wreaked havoc all over the world. In March 2018, its earliest documented case was recorded in the Kansas in the United States and it gradually spread to other parts of the world due to the movement of soldiers after the end of the World War I. In four successive waves, about 500 million people were infected and 17 million to 50 million people died and the toll can be as high as 100 million.
Why was it named Spanish flu?
Through a far-fetched, specious connection, the virus was named Spanish flu. Notably, unlike what the name denotes, the virus did not originate in Spain. But it ravaged the population of the country and the Spanish press reported it extensively, unlike many other countries in Europe who were looking to suppress the report of the cases.
How did the Spanish flu affect India?
The Spanish flu had a devastating effect in India between 1918 and 1920. Also known as the Bombay Influenza or the Bombay Fever, it reportedly led to the death of 17 to 18 million people in India and the country probably witnessed the highest death toll in the world. Between 1911 and 1921, the population of India fell drastically due to the Spanish flu pandemic. In India’s British-ruled districts, around 13.88 million people died.
In June 1918, the virus first arrived in Bombay (now Mumbai) aboard troop ships in June 1918. In India, the first began when seven Bombay policemen fell ill and it spread rapidly as Indian soldiers returned by train to their home towns and villages in Punjab and the United Provinces (UP). However, at that time, the death toll of the virus was not high as the war had just ended and its death toll was there. By August, the flu had affected almost every part of India and the death toll was beginning to rise. It hit India in three waves with the highest in mortality rate taking place in the second wave. In the last week of September 1918, the death rate peaked in Bombay, in the middle of October in Madras, and in the middle of November in Calcutta (now Kolkata).
Young people aged between 20 and 40 were mostly affected and women were disproportionately impacted. The situation was worsened by a failed monsoon and famine-like conditions, which left people weak and starving, forcing them to move into densely populated cities. Almost all the rivers in the country were clogged by country as there was a shortage of cremation places. Even Mahatma Gandhi was affected by the virus and the country’s healthcare system could not meet the sudden rise in medical attention. All these led to the increase in grievances against the British Raj.
The recent detection of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) in India has sparked concerns. This article examines the impact of the Spanish flu in India, highlighting its high death toll, its spread through troop movements, and the exacerbating factors like famine and a weak healthcare system. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
