March 11: historical facts and curiosities

Today is a great day to plan ahead and organize your upcoming commitments.

On March 11, 1918, the first official case of the "Spanish Flu" was reported at Fort Riley, Kansas, USA. This highly virulent influenza strain would rapidly spread globally, leading to one of the deadliest pandemics in human history. It infected an estimated 500 million people worldwide—about one-third of the global population at the time—and caused approximately 20 to 50 million deaths. The pandemic lasted from 1918 to 1920, significantly impacting demographics and public health practices.

On March 11, 1990, Lithuania became the first Soviet republic to declare its restoration of independence, a bold move that set a precedent for other republics. This declaration marked a significant step in the eventual dissolution of the Soviet Union, occurring just months before the August Coup and ultimately leading to the full collapse of the USSR in December 1991. It symbolized the desire for self-determination and freedom in the Baltic states.