I've just finished a long overdue re-read of **It** by Stephen King, this time I used an ebook.

I'm left a bit bemused because of a faint memory I have from the original paper book, I'm convinced that there was a reference made by one character during a conversation. He was mentioning a "killer flu" breaking out in Texas but there was a cover up taking place.

Is this mention actually in any of the early publications of **It**? 

****Note taken from** SK fanzome**:-
Captain Trips, a man-made virus created by the United States Military on taxpayer dollars, killed all but a handful of the humans, dogs, guinea pigs, horses and monkeys on Earth by July 4 of 1980/1985/1990/1994/2020 (depending on the exact version or adaptation of the story