to the very ill. The availability of antibiotics that were more effective against secondary bacterial infections. By region For this pandemic, there were two geographically distinct mortality patterns. In North America (the United States and Canada), the first pandemic season (1968–69) was more severe than the second (1969–70). In the "smoldering" pattern seen in Europe and Asia (United Kingdom, France, Japan, and Australia), the second pandemic season was two to five times more severe than the first. The United States health authorities estimated that about to people died in the U.S; most excess deaths were in those aged 65 and older. References External links Influenza Research Database – Database of influenza genomic sequences and related information. Flu 1968 disease outbreaks 1969 disease outbreaks Health in Hong Kong Influenza pandemics 20th-century epidemics Epidemics in India