Russian Flu
The Russian Flu took place between 1889 and 1890 and is considered to be the last great pandemic of the 19th century. Experts have only recently asserted that the deadly pandemic was caused by the Influenza A H3N8 subtype, though for a while the culprit was thought to be Influenza A virus subtype H2N2.
It was first reported in May 1889 in Bukhara, Russia. It took the virus only 5 weeks to reach peak mortality rate. The virus reached St. Petersburg in November and in just four months it spread throughout the Northern Hemisphere due to modern transport infrastructure.
Of note is the result of the Russian Flu in Malta, where the mortality rate reached 4%. Following the outbreak, it has become compulsory to notify health care specialists of the illness, no doubt in an attempt to stop the spread and follow up with medical care as early as possible.
All in all, the Russian Flu killed around 1 million people.
