What were the symptoms of the Hong Kong flu?

Hong Kong Flu Facts Symptoms included: chills, fever, muscular aches, fatigue, cough, sore throat, runny nose, headache and vomiting and diarrhoea for some. Symptoms would last approximately 4-6 days, though could persist for two weeks.

What was the survival rate of the Hong Kong flu?

15 million global doses were available by the pandemic’s early peak, in January 1969. Powerful new antivirals were used to fight the virus, too. The 1968 ‘Hong Kong flu’ had only a 0.5 percent mortality rate. Alarmingly, those younger than 65 died of flu or pneumonia complications, during the brief pandemic.

Was there a vaccine for Hong Kong flu?

Studies of the effect of Hong Kong (HK) influenza vaccine were made in adults and children in Great Britain during 1968 and 1969. The vaccines were administered intramuscularly and also by intranasal spray.

What kind of flu was the Hong Kong flu?

The 1968 pandemic was caused by an influenza A (H3N2) virus comprised of two genes from an avian influenza A virus, including a new H3 hemagglutinin, but also contained the N2 neuraminidase from the 1957 H2N2 virus. It was first noted in the United States in September 1968.

How did the Hong Kong flu start?

It was caused by an H3N2 strain of the influenza A virus, descended from H2N2 through antigenic shift, a genetic process in which genes from multiple subtypes reassorted to form a new virus.

When was the Hong Kong flu pandemic?

July 13, 1968
Hong Kong flu/Start dates

How many US citizens died from the Hong Kong flu?

The United States health authorities estimated that about 34,000 to 100,000 people died in the U.S; most excess deaths were in those aged 65 and older.

How long did the 1968 flu pandemic last?

The 1968 flu pandemic was a global outbreak of influenza that originated in China in July 1968 and lasted until 1969–70. The outbreak, which is sometimes called the Hong Kong flu of 1968, was the third influenza pandemic of the 20th century.

How does the Hong Kong flu spread?

In 1997, an H5N1 avian influenza A virus was transmitted directly from chicken to humans in Hong Kong, killing six of the 18 people infected with 33% motality rate. The H5N1 virus in Hong Kong seemed to be rarely transmissible from human to human.

Was there a flu epidemic in the 70s?

In 1976, an outbreak of the swine flu, influenza A virus subtype H1N1 at Fort Dix, New Jersey caused one death, hospitalized 13, and led to a mass immunization program….1976 swine flu outbreak.

When did the Hong Kong flu end?

1969
1968 flu pandemic, also called Hong Kong flu pandemic of 1968 or Hong Kong flu of 1968, global outbreak of influenza that originated in China in July 1968 and lasted until 1969–70.

What caused Hong Kong flu?

The Asian flu was caused by an avian H2N2 influenza A strain, and the Hong Kong flu was caused by an H3N2 strain that was a reassortment of human and avian viruses as well. The H1N1 pandemic which began in 2009–10 was a reassortment virus containing human, avian, and porcine viral elements.

What was the cause of the Hong Kong flu?

The Hong Kong flu, also known as the 1968 flu pandemic, was a flu pandemic whose outbreak in 1968 and 1969 killed between one and four million people globally. It is among the deadliest pandemics in history, and was caused by an H3N2 strain of the influenza A virus.

When was the last flu outbreak in China?

An Influenza A virus (H3N2) outbreak in China led to the flu pandemic of 1968, also known as the “Hong Kong Flu.” It started in 1968 and lasted until 1969-70.

What did the symptoms of the flu look like?

Infection caused upper respiratory symptoms typical of influenza and produced symptoms of chills, fever, and muscle pain and weakness. These symptoms usually persisted for between four and six days. The highest levels of mortality were associated with the most susceptible groups, namely infants and the elderly.