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Delhi's Grim Past: 7,044 Deaths in 1918 Flu
29 Aug
Summary
- Influenza claimed 7,044 lives in Delhi city during the 1918 pandemic.
- British administration declared influenza an infectious disease in 1920.
- Delhi's current infection control guidelines differ from 1918 responses.
In 1918, Delhi experienced a devastating influenza outbreak, with records indicating 7,044 deaths within the city and over 23,000 across the wider province in October and November alone. The pandemic, possibly a variant of H1N1, first appeared in June 1918 and intensified significantly during a deadlier second wave emerging in September.
Initially, the disease presented with symptoms like fever and cough, but by October, cases became severe and fatal, overwhelming Delhi's Civil Hospital. Recognizing the public health threat, the British India administration officially declared ordinary influenza an infectious disease in Delhi in September 1920. This move brought the illness under the Punjab Municipal Act, empowering the Delhi Municipality to manage its containment.
Over a century later, Delhi's approach to infectious diseases has evolved. While H1N1 is now a reportable infection under current guidelines, not every seasonal flu case requires individual reporting. The system distinguishes between various influenza strains like Influenza A (including H1N1 and H3N2) and Influenza B, monitored through laboratory reporting and disease surveillance programs.
