SPANISH FLU IN HAMILTON TIMELINE

SEPT. 20, 1918

First area deaths reported with three soldiers dying in an outbreak at the Polish Camp at the Niagara Military camp in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

SEPT. 30, 1918

Announcement that several cases of Spanish Influenza had been diagnosed at Armament School of the Royal Air Service in West Hamilton. Shortly after a military hospital at the facility was strained with increasing number of cases and the camp was placed under quarantine.

OCT. 3, 1918

Hatty Wirchowsky, a 25-year-old married housewife, who lived on King Street West, becomes the first civilian victim in Hamilton. A sister also got sick and died a few days later. Oct. 4, 1918

The first nurse died at St. Joseph’s Hospital. The physician who attended, Dr. Thomas Balfe, contracted influenza himself, and died a month later.

OCT. 5, 1918

Medical officials had first said there was no cause for alarm but changed their view amid rising numbers of flu deaths.

OCT. 16, 1918

All schools, theatres and churches in Hamilton were ordered closed as part of a ban on public gatherings to try to halt the spread of the virus.

NOV. 2, 1918

An exemption was granted for a massive Tank Day fundraiser at Gore Park. Thousands came out to see the British tank Britannia crush a rail car.

NOV. 11, 1918

News of the armistice led to wild community celebrations and thousands of people again coming into contact with one another.

NOV. 29, 1918

The Board of Health reported that, in the eight weeks since the first cases of the disease, more than 4,530 cases had been recorded with 359 deaths.

DEC. 16, 1918

Health Board announced it was lifting its ban on public gatherings.

DEC. 20, 1918

Health Board announced that Hamilton’s flu death rate was much lower than other cities in Canada and U.S.