For more insight on this, WW, you might want to read Albert Camus' great novel, The Plague, about an outbreak that devastates the port city of Oran, Algeria and its psychological affects on the inhabitants there. Regarded by many as one of the top ten novels of the 20th century.

death total on the Great Flu Pandemic

I've seen this listed in various accounts at many different estimates, ranging from 18 to 80 million! After perusing material on it over the years I feel comfortable with the 50 mil figure. But, much like the death toll suffered by the Russians in WWII, now pushed upwards by many from 10-20 million to 40-50 million, I guess we'll never know for sure.