A history of major flu pandemics. Annual flu epidemics kill 250,000-500,000 people each year and cause severe illness in 3 million to 5 million. But new strains that jump from animals to humans can be even more devastating if the global population has no immunity to the virus. â¢ 1918 Spanish flu. The most devastating flu pandemic in recent history was caused by a strain of H1N1 influenza that killed 20 million to 50 million people worldwide. The pandemic spread in three more or less simultaneous waves through Europe, Asia and North America.
A childâs silhouette is reflected on the surface of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall. (Photo: Getty Images). On the anniversary of the memorialâs dedication, check out our collection of photos and facts below. 1) Just steps from the reflecting pool and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall sits the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wallâfree to visit and always open. The wall is made up of two parts, each 246.75 feet long. The black granite is from Bangalore, India. 2) Itâs nickname is âThe Wall.â.
The first US memorial to an ongoing war, the Northwood Gratitude and Honor Memorial in Irvine, California, is modelled on the Vietnam Veterans memorial in that it includes a chronological list of the dead engraved in dark granite.