Unraveling the Unlikelihood of the 1889 Russian Flu Pandemic Being Caused by a Coronavirus
Some researchers believe that the 1889 Russian flu pandemic may have actually been caused by a coronavirus, specifically OC43, rather than influenza. However, flu virologists are unconvinced, pointing to evidence that the 1889-1893 pandemic was caused by influenza H3N8. A study recalculated the date of the zoonotic transfer of OC43 from cattle to humans to 1899-1900, suggesting that the pneumonia epidemic of 1899-1900 may have been a previously unrecognized coronavirus pandemic.