It is now established that the 1889 Russian flu pandemic was caused by the Coronavirus OC43 which now remains in our nose and causes mild common cold.
Coronaviruses were first identified in 1965. Since then we have already identified Seven Human Coronaviruses.
Apart from the 3 recent pandemics caused by the SARS-1, MERS and SARS-2 ( Covid-19) we also suffer from 4 other human coronaviruses: OC43, 229E, NL63 and HKU1. These four earlier coronaviruses cause mild common cold in us. In fact, they constitute 15-20% of cold infections in humans.
Except one : The OC43.
The 1889 Russian flu pandemic was the biggest and ugliest pandemic of 19th century. It took over St Petersburg in the winter of 1889 and took four months to circumbulate the Globe. Remember, railroads and ships were the fastest mode of transport in those days. It created three consecutive waves between 1889- 92 and killed about 10 lakh souls. That accounted for proportionately more deaths than the present Covid-19.
Erroneous diagnosis.
In 1890s, it was not possible to diagnose a virus. in 1930s, after discovery of electron microscopy that Viruses could be seen. it could be gown in lab after the discovery of cell culture in 1940s. Prior to that, it was impossible to isolate and identify a virus, especially after the epidemic subsided..
It was erroneously labelled as one of the many flu pandemics because we did not thought that Corona viruses can cause pandemics till 2003.
Molecular Clock traces HCoV OC43 back to the 1890s.
Evolution molecular biologist can use a molecular clock that can trace the course and philological tree of a virus. It is now established that the present mild Common cold virus OC43 has jumped from cows to humans 130 years back. In the 1885s there was a viral epidemic among the cattle. Within few years, there appeared this respiratory pandemic that killed 1 million human souls in 3 years.
Today that killer virus has settled down among us as a mild common cold virus of no significance.
How long will this covid-19 take to follow in the foot step of its predecessor OC43.
Source: The Denmark paper given below:
Dr Ramakanta's Ideas 
It is enlightening to know about the most talked about CORONA Virus of 21st century.
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