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One of the most serious features of influenza is its propensity to cause excess
mortality. In the Asian flu pandemic of 1957, there were 69,800 excess deaths
reported during the winter 1957-58; that is, the number of deaths exceeded that
normally occurred for that period of the year. When H2N2 mutated in 1963, it caused
43,200 excess deaths. Epidemics of influenza A are invariably accompanied by excess
number of deaths, mostly among those 65 years and older. In the history of influenza
pandemics, the only exception was the 1918 pandemic, which caused high mortality
among young adults as well as the elderly.
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