The 1918 H1N1 'Spanish Flu' pandemic is estimated to have killed 50 million people worldwide, making it the deadliest flu pandemic in recorded history. Other major respiratory pandemics include the 1889-1890 'Russian Flu' (estimated 1 million deaths) and the 1957 'Asian Flu' (estimated 2 million deaths). COVID-19 has officially claimed 5 million lives, with credible estimates placing the true death toll closer to 17 million.