The fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse: the demographic impact of the 1918-1920 flu in Latin Europe and Catalan-speaking regions

Authors

  • Jordi Maluquer de Motes Institut d'Estudis Catalans

Keywords:

Pandemic, influenza, flu, immunity, Latin Europe, Catalan-speaking regions.

Abstract

The influenza pandemic of 1918 (Spanish flu) is the biggest health catastrophe in history. This article attempts to provide a preliminary analysis of its impact, giving an account of the mortality it caused in Latin Europe and in each Catalan-speaking region. Using the 1910-1917 data as a reference set, the method applied provided a non‐epidemic baseline for 1918-1920. Excess mortality is the mortality observed above this baseline and represents the deaths attributable to the flu pandemic. During the Spanish flu, excess mortality in 1918 totalled 1.23 million, 1.06% of Latin Europe’s population. In Spain, excess mortality in 1918-1920 was 319,662, 1.49% of the total population, while in the Catalan-speaking regions it was 63,419, 1.36 % of the total population.

Keywords: Pandemic, influenza, flu, immunity, Latin Europe, Catalan-speaking regions.

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How to Cite

Maluquer de Motes, J. (2021). The fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse: the demographic impact of the 1918-1920 flu in Latin Europe and Catalan-speaking regions. Butlletí De La Societat Catalana d’Estudis Històrics, (31), 393–441. Retrieved from https://revistes.iec.cat/index.php/BSCEH/article/view/148737

Issue

No. 31 (2020)

Section

Articles

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