People everywhere are now aware of the procedures to follow during a pandemic, such as social separation and through hand washing, courtesy of coronavirus outbreak.
Let us inform you, there have been previous pandemic in human history. The following are a few of the worst ones to tally:
- Black Death (Bubonic Plague, 1347-1351): The Black Death is one of the deadliest pandemics in recorded history. It swept through Europe, Asia, and North Africa, killing an estimated 75-200 million people. The bacterium Yersinia pestis, transmitted through fleas that infested rats, caused the bubonic, septicemic, and pneumonic plagues.
- Spanish Flu (Influenza H1N1, 1918-1919): The Spanish Flu is one of the most severe influenza pandemics, infecting one-third of the world’s population and causing the death of an estimated 50 million people. The virus disproportionately affected healthy young adults, unlike typical flu strains.
- HIV/AIDS pandemic (1981-present): Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) causes Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Since the early 1980s, the pandemic has led to the deaths of more than 32 million people worldwide. Antiretroviral therapy has significantly improved the outlook for those living with HIV, but a cure remains elusive.
- Third Cholera Pandemic (1852-1860): Cholera is a waterborne disease caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The third cholera pandemic originated in India and spread to Asia, North America, Europe, and Africa, causing over one million deaths.
- Asian Flu (Influenza H2N2, 1957-1958): The Asian Flu originated in East Asia and spread globally, causing an estimated 1-2 million deaths. It was caused by a new influenza A subtype, H2N2, which resulted from a reassortment of avian and human influenza viruses.
- Sixth Cholera Pandemic (1899-1923): The sixth cholera pandemic originated in India and spread to the Middle East, North Africa, Eastern Europe, and Russia. It resulted in the deaths of more than 800,000 people.
- Hong Kong Flu (Influenza H3N2, 1968-1969): The Hong Kong Flu was caused by the H3N2 strain of the influenza A virus. It originated in Hong Kong and spread globally, causing an estimated 1-4 million deaths.
- COVID-19 pandemic (2019-present): Caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the COVID-19 pandemic began in late 2019 and has had a profound impact on global health, economies, and societies. As of my knowledge cutoff in January 2022, millions of people have died, and efforts to control the spread of the virus continue worldwide.
Each of these pandemics has shaped history and had lasting effects on societies and healthcare systems. They also highlight the ongoing challenges humanity faces in managing infectious diseases.
