History of Bird Flu
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The first flu epidemic was recorded by Hippocrates in 412 BC. It was in 1878 that a high-mortality disease among birds was first recognized, and was called the fowl plague.
In 1918, the deadly Spanish Flu broke out, claiming around 50 to 100 million lives worldwide. Recent studies suggest that the pathogens responsible for the Spanish Flu were of avian origin.
In 1924, the first avian flu outbreak is documented in the US, although no human infection occurs. In 1957, the Asian Flu outbreak kills 100,000 people, while in 1968, the Hong Kong Flu pandemic claims 750,000 lives.
Between 1997 and 1998, the avian flu crops up again in Hong Kong, leaving 7 fatalities.