The 1957 H2N2 influenza pandemic caused about 1.1 million deaths globally.
Notes on verification
Figure matches Viboud et al. 2016 (Journal of Infectious Diseases) peer-reviewed estimate, corroborated by Smithsonian, History.com, CDC, and Yale Insights. Other sources cite broader ranges (1-2M, 1-4M) due to differing methodologies, but the specific 1.1 million figure is precisely sourced.
Sources
- Influenza Historic Timeline 1930 and Beyond | Pandemic Influenza (Flu) | CDC (archive.cdc.gov)
- https://academic.oup.com/jid/article/213/5/738/2459470 (academic.oup.com)
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26908781/ (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/united-states-vaccine-1957-flu-pandemic-180974906/ (smithsonianmag.com)
- https://www.history.com/articles/pandemics-timeline (history.com)
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/pharmacology-toxicology-and-pharmaceutical-science/pandemic-influenza (sciencedirect.com)