1989–1990 flu epidemic in the United Kingdom

Disease outbreak in the United Kingdom November 2020 November 2020 The 1989–1990 flu epidemic in the United Kingdom was an influenza epidemic of A(H3N2) type flu that occurred during the winter of 1989–1990.https://wonder.cdc.gov/wonder/prevguid/p0000276/p0000276.asp Update: Influenza Activity – 1990–91 Influenza Season wonder.cdc.gov Nov 5, 2020 6 December 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20181206184935/https://wonder.cdc.gov/wonder/prevguid/p0000276/p0000276.asp live Cases were reported in other parts of Europe, including France, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the Soviet Union. At its peak, the epidemic saw an infection rate of between 534 and 600 people per 100,000, while various sources have attributed between 19,000 and 29,000 deaths to the outbreak. A study published in the December 1990 issue of the British Journal of General Practice notes that the outbreak was first recorded as an epidemic in mid-November 1989, with cases peaking in the UK in the week beginning 6 December. During the period from 15 November until the end of that year, the number of people reporting respiratory illnesses was roughly double the usual figure for that time of year, though not as high as some previous flu outbreaks. The New York Times reported that the outbreak was the worst to occur in Britain since the winter of 1975–76, and was similar to that winter's strain of flu, which killed 1,283 people. By 24 December the flu virus had infected more than a million people in the UK, and hospitals were cancelling surgery. Government statistics for the UK reported 102 deaths for the first week of December, an increase from seven on the same time the previous year.https://www.nytimes.com/1989/12/24/world/british-flu-epidemic-claims-lives-and-is-forcing-delays-in-surgery.html British Flu Epidemic Claims Lives And Is Forcing Delays in Surgery (Published 1989) Sheila Rule The New York Times Dec 24, 1989 Nov 5, 2020 23 April 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200423112134/https://www.nytimes.com/1989/12/24/world/british-flu-epidemic-claims-lives-and-is-forcing-delays-in-surgery.html liveObservations on the influenza epidemic of November/December 1989. D M Fleming D L Crombie C A Norbury K W Cross Dec 5, 1990 The British Journal of General Practice 40 341 495–497 2282227 1371445 In Scotland, 2,400 deaths were reported in the seven days preceding Christmas Eve, an increase of 1,092 on the five year rolling average.https://www.thetimes.com/uk/healthcare/article/coronavirus-in-scotland-more-died-in-1989-flu-epidemic-than-coronavirus-peak-wnk8p0fs6 Coronavirus in Scotland: More died in 1989 flu epidemic than coronavirus peak Mark McLaughlin Nov 5, 2020 www.thetimes.co.uk 3 November 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201103104847/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/coronavirus-in-scotland-more-died-in-1989-flu-epidemic-than-coronavirus-peak-wnk8p0fs6 live Flu-related deaths for Wales over that winter were reported to be 1,627. Senator Joe O'Reilly described it as "one of the worst epidemics for 30 years".https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1989-12-13/17 Adjournment Under Standing Order 29: Flu Epidemic: Motion. – Seanad Éireann (19th Seanad) – Wednesday, 13 Dec 1989 – Houses of the Oireachtas Houses of the Oireachtas 13 December 1989 www.oireachtas.ie 5 November 2020 5 November 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201105223051/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1989-12-13/17/ live A strain of flu classed as Type A Beijing and Type A Shanghai spread across the United States during the same winter. In January 1990, the Centers for Disease Control, based in Atlanta, Georgia, reported that the flu was present in 30 US states, but The Washington Post reported that public health officials were not expecting it to have the same level of impact as in the UK, since similar H3N2 flu strains had been present in the US during two previous winters. Dr Carole A. Heilman, a respiratory expert at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said "England has just not had a major epidemic for 10 to 15 years", whereas the recent presence of similar variants in the US meant that "one could assume there would be some protection".https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/wellness/1990/01/02/are-you-ready-for-the-flu/6c9471b0-d0bd-43db-bf21-964ea91bdeec/ ARE YOU READY FOR THE FLU? Sally Squires 2 January 1990 19 December 2020 www.washingtonpost.com One of the effects of the 1989 flu outbreak was an increase in the use of flu vaccinations in the UK. Speaking in 2008, John Oxford, an expert in virology at London's Queen Mary's School of Medicine and Dentistry, described the 1989 epidemic as having "caught everyone a bit off guard".https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7797775.stm Flu 'heading for nine-year high' 23 December 2008 5 November 2020 news.bbc.co.uk 27 July 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160727020711/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7797775.stm live An article in The Independent from November 1993 reported that between 19,000 and 25,000 deaths in the UK were attributed to the 1989–90 flu outbreak,http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/the-showboat-flu-is-starting-to-slow-down-1504194.html The showboat flu is starting to slow down Nov 14, 1993 The Independent Nov 5, 2020 1 November 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201101060845/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/the-showboat-flu-is-starting-to-slow-down-1504194.html live while later reports have suggested the figure to be in the region of 26,000.https://www.theguardian.com/world/2000/jan/10/qanda.infectiousdiseases The flu epidemic Patrick Barkham The Guardian Jan 10, 2000 Nov 5, 2020 www.theguardian.com 22 April 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200422195511/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2000/jan/10/qanda.infectiousdiseases livehttps://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200203/ldselect/ldsctech/23-xii/3031102.htm House of Lords – Science and Technology – Minutes of Evidence publications.parliament.uk Nov 5, 2020 The annual impact of influenza on the NHS is well recognised. Even in winters when the incidence of flu is low, there are around 3,000–4,000 deaths in the UK1; however in epidemic years the death toll is very much higher (eg 26,000 excess deaths in 1989–90). 29 October 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20161029093207/http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200203/ldselect/ldsctech/23-xii/3031102.htm live Sources have reported an infection rate of between 534 and 600 cases per 100,000 at its peak.https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2000/01/nhs-j17.html Flu outbreak reveals crisis in Britain's hospitals World Socialist Web Site 17 January 2000 19 December 2020 31 October 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20151031212107/https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2000/01/nhs-j17.html livehttps://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/ferguswalsh/2011/01/pandemic_flu_jabs_to_plug_vaccine_shortages.html Pandemic flu jabs to plug vaccine shortages BBC BBC News 6 January 2011 19 December 2020 Fergus Walsh 12 June 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20150612085555/http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/ferguswalsh/2011/01/pandemic_flu_jabs_to_plug_vaccine_shortages.html live In July 2009, at the time of the swine flu outbreak, the Western Mail quoted a figure of 29,169 deaths for the 1989 epidemic, and noted its relatively low public profile. Dr Roland Salmon, director of the communicable disease surveillance centre of the National Public Health Service for Wales, observed that "few people have a marked recollection of 1989 as a year of Biblical carnage".http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/flu-wiped-out-50-million-2097045 When flu wiped out 50 million David Williamson 28 July 2009 WalesOnline 5 November 2020 5 November 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201105223105/https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/flu-wiped-out-50-million-2097045 live The United States outbreak is estimated to have been responsible for 50,000 deaths.https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1992/11/16/the-flu-s-not-just-another-illness/ The flu's not just another illness Tampa Bay Times 5 November 2020 5 November 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201105223050/https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1992/11/16/the-flu-s-not-just-another-illness/ dead In October 2020, The Times reported that more people in Scotland died during the 1989–90 flu epidemic than did at the peak of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020. References collapsed Category:influenza outbreaks Category:Disease outbreaks in the United Kingdom Flu epidemic in the United Kingdom Flu epidemic in the United Kingdom Flu epidemic Flu epidemic Flu epidemic Flu epidemic Flu epidemic Flu epidemic