Although a lot of people die in a typical flu season, the death rate from the flu can go up greatly during a flu pandemic or worldwide outbreak of the flu. The increased deaths aren't necessarily because the strain of flu virus is stronger, but rather because so many more people get sick during a pandemic, such as: 1  1889 Russian Flu Pandemic: About 1 million flu deaths. 2  1918 Spanish Flu Pandemic: Over 40 to 50 million flu deaths, including about 675,000 in the United States.
But when you have a cold, congestion, or allergies, the amount of mucus can increase, build up, and thicken. The feeling of this mucus draining down the back of your throat is postnasal drip. It often causes a sore throat, coughing, and problems swallowing. See a picture of postnasal drip . The increase in mucus that leads to postnasal drip can be caused by a cold, flu, allergies, sinus infections, or hormonal changes. Gargle with warm salt water to help get rid of throat soreness. Stir 1 tsp (5 g) of salt into 8 fl oz (240 mL) of lukewarm water. Gargle as often as you like-the more often, the better.
The most common causes of sore throats are viruses. Viral sore throats are often accompanied by other cold symptoms that may include a runny nose, cough, red or watery eyes, and sneezing. Other causes of sore throat include smoking, pollution or irritants in the air, allergies, and dry air.