Produced by the University of Michigan Center for the History of Medicine and Michigan Publishing, University of Michigan Library

Influenza Encyclopedia

The American Influenza Epidemic of 1918-1919:

A Digital Encyclopedia


Omaha, Nebraska

50 U.S. Cities & Their Stories

“I would rather be blamed for being over cautious than to be responsible for a single death.” Thus spoke Omaha Health Commissioner Dr. E. T. Manning upon issuing a sweeping public health order closing churches, schools, movie houses, theaters, and other places of congregation in the city. It was October 4, very early in Omaha’s influenza epidemic and only a day since an outbreak of thirty cases was reported in Fort Omaha, located just north of downtown. Army personnel immediately ordered the fort closed to visitors and barred soldiers from leaving. Now, Omaha was under its own set of restrictions. It was a rapid move to contain the still nascent epidemic.1

Omaha’s crowded Armistice Day parade, November 1918. The streets were so congested that some took to the roofs of downtown buildings to view the parade. Click on image for gallery. Omaha’s crowded Armistice Day parade, November 1918. The streets were so congested that some took to the roofs of downtown buildings to view the parade.

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Omaha, Nebraska

Timeline of Events

Excess Death Rate (per 100,000) Daily EventsClick day to view details. Selected Event
graphNational
200Excess Death Rate (per 100,000)
180 
160 
140 
120 
100 
80 
60 
40 
20 
0 
Total Excess Death Rate 554
Total Deaths per 100,000 population over duration of epidemic (roughly 1918 September 14 through 1919 February 22).
 19181919
 AugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecemberJanuaryFebruaryMarchApril
Sa273101724317142128512192629162330714212841118251815221815222951219
Fr2629162330613202741118251815222961320273101724317142128714212841118
Th2518152229512192631017243171421285121926291623306132027613202731017
We243171421284111825291623306132027411182518152229512192651219262916
Tu2330613202731017241815222951219263101724317142128411182541118251815
Mo2229512192629162330714212841118252916233061320273101724310162431714
Su21284111825181522296132027310172418152229512192629162329152330613

September 25, 1918

City Health Commissioner Dr. E.T. Manning declares that influenza is not dangerous unless there are complications. Children with fresh colds are to be barred from school in order to prevent the spread of influenza.