Over the past century, there have been four influenza pandemics, including the most recent “swine flu” or H1N1 pandemic in 2009-2010.

“Spanish flu” was the most severe pandemic in recent memory. It was also caused by an H1N1 virus, with genes of avian origin, and claimed the lives of at least 50 million people worldwide from 1918 to 1919.

The worldwide death toll from Covid-19 – which passed 35,000 on March 30 – pales in comparison to that of other recent pandemics.