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Coronavirus is dominating media headlines around the world, much as an earlier pandemic did more than a century ago — the Spanish flu. Back in 1918-19, one-third of all people were estimated to have suffered from that flu and three per cent of the world’s population died as a result.

A look back at archived pages of the Calgary Herald from the time shows dozens of stories about the Spanish flu were published over these two years. They reflect a very different era. There was great concern over the flu’s impact on railway operations, advice on how to make a medical mask out of cheese cloth, and news on the establishment of soup kitchens to feed the ill. Advertised remedies and preventions were questionable. And, more questions existed than answers.

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Oct. 2, 1918 — On this day, the Calgary Herald announced the arrival of Spanish influenza in the city, occurring early that morning. It was brought to Calgary by 15 soldiers returning to Canada from the First World War. Calgary’s medical health officer and a military guard met the train as it arrived; they had been forewarned that sick men were on board. One soldier was so sick he was taken to hospital by stretcher. The soldiers’ baggage was fumigated, as was the train, and the medical health officer said there was no need for alarm because the soldiers would be kept in strict isolation.