Objective:

To determine the health and economic repercussions of the Spanish flu in Vejer de la Frontera (Cadiz, Spain) during the period 1918-1924.

Methods:

This is a mixed study, whose quantitative aspect is a longitudinal descriptive study of mortality in Vejer de la Frontera and the villages of Barbate and Zahara de los Atunes (1918-1919), while heuristics, hermeneutics and documentary observation were used for the qualitative study (1910-1924).

Results:

Influenza caused the greatest mortality crisis in the town and its villages during the period analysed, with 128.93 deaths per ten thousand inhabitants in 1918. The pandemic meant an expense of 5,204.53 pesetas for the municipal accounts.

Conclusions:

Economic problems reduced the application of sanitary measures and the use of resources against the pandemic. The debts incurred lasted until 1924 when the City Council paid off its financial debt.