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Time of India
02-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
History's worst pandemics and epidemics that shook the world including COVID-19, AIDS and more
Epidemics and pandemics are two of the worst tragedies in the history of humankind, killing millions and transforming whole civilizations. Though medicine and epidemiology have made great strides in being able to prevent and treat such outbreaks, history still reads like a book of horror with ruinous loss and tremendous social upheaval. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now From the broad impact of contemporary pandemics to those that hit ancient civilizations, every outbreak has imprinted its signature on history. This timeline emphasises the world's worst pandemics and epidemics, from the most recent to the oldest, highlighting their devastating effects and the advances made in avoiding future catastrophes. List of the deadliest epidemics and pandemics in history Pandemic / epidemic Year of spread Cause Estimated deaths Region(s) affected COVID-19 Pandemic 2019-Present SARS-CoV-2 (Coronavirus) 6.4 million+ Global Zika Virus epidemic 2015-Present Zika Virus (Mosquito-borne) N/A (birth defects) South America, Central America, parts of the US West African Ebola epidemic 2014-2016 Ebola Virus 11,325 Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, other parts of Africa H1N1 Swine Flu Pandemic 2009-2010 H1N1 Influenza 151,700–575,400 Global AIDS Pandemic and Epidemic 1981-Present HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) 35 million+ Global (especially sub-Saharan Africa) Asian Flu 1957-1958 H2N2 Influenza 1 million+ Asia, Europe, North America Spanish Flu 1918-1920 H1N1 Influenza 50 million+ Global American Polio epidemic 1916 Poliovirus 6,000 United States Flu Pandemic (Russian Flu) 1889-1890 H3N8 Influenza 1 million Global Philadelphia Yellow Fever epidemic 1793 Yellow Fever (Mosquito-borne) 5,000 Philadelphia, USA Russian Plague 1770-1772 Yersinia pestis (Bubonic Plague) 100,000 Russia Great Plague of Marseille 1720-1723 Yersinia pestis (Bubonic Plague) 100,000+ France (Marseille) Great Plague of London 1665-1666 Yersinia pestis (Bubonic Plague) 100,000 London, England American Plagues 16th Century Smallpox, Measles, Influenza 90% of Indigenous population Americas (especially Aztec and Inca Empires) Cocoliztli epidemic 1545-1548 Likely Hemorrhagic Fever 15 million Mexico, Central America Plague of Justinian 541-542 AD Yersinia pestis (Bubonic Plague) 25-50 million Byzantine Empire, Europe, Asia Plague of Cyprian 250-271 AD Viral Hemorrhagic Fever N/A (Thousands daily) Roman Empire Antonine Plague 165-180 AD Smallpox (likely) 5 million Roman Empire Plague of Athens 430 BC Likely Typhoid Fever 100,000 Athens, Greece Prehistoric epidemic Circa 3000 BC Likely Infectious Disease N/A China Most lethal global health crises COVID-19 pandemic (2019-Present) The pandemic due to the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 started in December 2019 and up to now. The pandemic increased very fast, infected hundreds of millions, and killed more than 6.4 million people up to mid-2022. The pandemic disturbed normal life, created epidemic disease, and overwhelmed the world's healthcare system. Vaccines and drugs reduced its impact everywhere but COVID-19 is still a public health issue. Zika virus epidemic (2015-Present) The Zika virus epidemic, which started in 2015, decimated South America, Central America, and a portion of the United States. Zika virus is transmitted and disseminated by the mosquito, leading to flu-like illness in adults but microcephaly as a congenital defect in infants born to affected mothers. Population control of mosquitoes has been one of the foundations of measures in preventing further spread. West African Ebola epidemic (2014-2016) In 2014-2016, Ebola struck West Africa and resulted in more than 28,000 cases with 11,325 fatalities. The pandemic mostly ravaged Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, but to a lesser extent was seen from Nigeria, Mali, Senegal, and other locations outside Africa. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Though no exact cure has been discovered for Ebola, its treatment and vaccine production have greatly enhanced since this pandemic. H1N1 Swine Flu pandemic (2009-2010) H1N1 flu or Swine Flu broke out in Mexico during the spring of 2009 and spread across the globe quickly. It infected nearly 1.4 billion individuals within one year and resulted in the deaths of approximately 151,700 to 575,400 individuals. Young adults and children were attacked by the flu more often than the remaining parts of the flu viruses responsible for killing older people. The production of vaccinations at a relatively fast pace withheld the spread of the virus. AIDS epidemic and pandemic (1981-Present) Even though since its discovery in the early 1980s, HIV virus-inducing AIDS has already claimed over 35 million lives worldwide, AIDS has been cured by antiretroviral therapy (ART) and HIV-positive individuals have lived long and healthy years because they were once an international health emergency. The disease is still a large health problem even though it can be treated, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Asian Flu (1957-1958) The Asian Flu epidemic, which spread from China, took more than 1 million lives worldwide. The H2N2 flu virus devastated Asia, Europe, and North America to wholesale illness and death. Young adults were viciously decimated by the flu, and response globally prompted record-breaking breakthrough in vaccine science and pandemic preparation. Spanish Flu (1918-1920) The 1918-1920 Spanish Flu pandemic was the deadliest to have struck, claiming an estimated 50 million and infecting about one-third of the global population. The illness spread quickly after World War I, driven by unhygienic war situations. Although the illness was named the Spanish Flu, the illness was not Spanish, but due to the fact that it was neutral and didn't have war censorship, it became associated with Spain. The flu was very lethal because it was not vaccine-backed and ineffective medicine couldn't stop it. American polio epidemic (1916) The 1916 US polio epidemic already claimed the lives of 27,000 victims and 6,000 deaths. Polio is common among children and only incapacitates and kills a handful. Following decades of sporadic epidemics, the arrival of the Salk vaccine in 1954 had drastically reduced polio cases. The United States officially declared itself polio-free in 1979, although the disease remains a public health issue in some parts of the world today. Flu pandemic (1889-1890) The 1889-1890 flu pandemic, Russian Flu, spread at full speed with new transport connections in the age of industry and reached the world within a few months. It caused approximately 1 million fatalities. In the absence of modern transport, the virus propagated on railway and sea links at maximum speed, particularly along transport corridors from Europe to Asia and North America. The rate of pandemic spread also indicated the vulnerability of the public health system of the time. Philadelphia yellow fever epidemic (1793) Yellow fever devastated the American capital, Philadelphia, in 1793. Mosquito-borne illness killed over 5,000, 10% of the population. Everyone was panicked and public health measures were delayed, with authorities believing that slaves were immune to it. Autumn weather and dead mosquitoes did not arrive until the end of the epidemic. Russian Plague (1770-1772) The Russian Moscow Plague of 1770-1772 was followed by riots, violence, and mass hysteria. The plague caused an estimated death toll of 100,000 and reduced public order in the Russian Empire to zero. Empress Catherine the Great herself was unable to restore normalcy after the devastation. The plague introduced mass political unrest into Russia. Great Plague of Marseille (1720-1723) The Great Marseille Plague started in 1720 when an eastern Mediterranean vessel had landed in France with plague-ridden fleas and rats on board. More than 100,000 people in Marseille and nearby settlements were killed by the disease over a period of three years. The disease spread swiftly as there were no draconian quarantine laws in place and thus there was a health epidemic of very serious proportions across south France. Great Plague of London (1665-1666) The London Great Plague, the final of the Black Death's plagues of great height in Britain, started in 1665. It murdered an estimated 100,000, or 15% of urban residents. It rapidly spread in the city's muck and poisonous air. The plague was ultimately ended by the Great Fire of London in 1666 that destroyed much of the city, including infected districts. American Plagues (16th Century) American Plagues were diseases that the Europeans brought with them to the Americas in the 16th century. Smallpox and measles and other foreign diseases killed among the people in the native tribes, leading to the fall of the Inca and Aztec empires. About 90% of the native population of the Americas were wiped out by the diseases and thus paved the way for Europe to be conquered. Cocoliztli epidemic (1545-1548) 1545-1548 Cocoliztli plague which killed Mexico and Central America was estimated at 15 million individuals dead. Plague which appeared in the form of hemorrhagic fever infected the nation at lightning-fast speeds, killing weakened Native groups as a result of other plagues as well as due to drought already prevalent in those lands. One of the further causes for the collapse of the Aztec Empire. Plague of Justinian (541-542 AD) Plague of Justinian, where in the Byzantine Empire this happened under Emperor Justinian I, was due to the bacterium Yersinia pestis. The plague killed 25-50 million and up to 10% of the world's population. The plague undermined the power of the Byzantine Empire and established the cyclical plagues which devastated Europe for centuries. Plague of Cyprian (250-271 AD) The Plague of Cyprian, which is named for the bishop who chronicled the epidemic, killed thousands of people a day within the Roman Empire. The epidemic is estimated to have been one of viral hemorrhagic fever, and the contagiousness of the epidemic so rapidly caused the empire to be vulnerable to invasion. As many as 5,000 people per day were reported dead in Rome alone. Antonine Plague (165-180 AD) Antonine Plague, caused by smallpox, during the rule of Marcus Aurelius in the Roman Empire. It killed a total estimated number of about 5 million individuals, including soldiers returning from their campaigns in the East. It hastened the onset of the end of the Pax Romana and the ease with which the Roman Empire collapsed. Plague of Athens (430 BC) The Athenian Plague had occurred in the second year of the Athens-Sparta conflict during the time of the Peloponnesian War. The epidemic killed approximately 100,000 people, among them the Athenian statesman Pericles. Town overcrowding had caused the epidemic because all Athenians had found refuge behind the city walls. There is no etiology but typhoid fever is one of the best-known hypotheses of the epidemic. Prehistoric epidemic (c. 3000 BC) A find of a 5,000-year-old Chinese hut containing skeletons confirms an ancient epidemic. All the skeletons were found within one hut and must have been killed by a contagious disease. They were not segregated by age, and later the hut went up in flames, which indicated the scale of the disaster. The find confirms that epidemics have been happening among human beings for centuries. Epidemic vs Pandemic Epidemic: Epidemic is used for the unforeseen outbreak of an illness occurring among a vast populace or great tract of area. It starts emerging suddenly and propagates itself within that particular tract or group in a sudden way. epidemics usually spread in a concentrated geographic area or across a defined tract, i.e., emergence of influenza over a city or province. Pandemic: A pandemic is an epidemic that has covered different countries or continents and infected most of the world's population. It is usually caused by a new disease or a mutation of a current one, and thus more contagious and difficult to control. An example of a pandemic is the COVID-19 pandemic, which infected the entire world.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Has the bubonic plague returned to the UK? Health officials respond to fears
A UK health agency has admitted to an error after incorrectly stating that a person had recently contracted bubonic plague. Best known for causing the Black Death scare, the horror bug that previously wiped out half of Europe. On 26 March, The Sun pointed out that HSA officials subsequently stated the report was wrong. The Black Death is set to reprise their role as the Bubonic Plague after 672 years away, in a harrowing new storyline set to play out this summer Of their return, the deadly virus said "I've been away for a while, but I'm back now, with some surprises for you. Watch this space" — teened peaches🍑 (@BRATTYBARBl) March 26, 2025 The reported case originated from a UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) lab report for the week ending March 13, which monitors disease cases across England and Wales. Authorities supposedly attributed the error to a mix-up in the lab. Professor Paul Hunter, an expert in medicine at the University of East Anglia, told The Sun: "We do see occasional cases. Most are due to people coming into close contact with wild rodents while overseas. "Usually, it's because people don't realise that even cute-looking wild animals should be kept at arm's length. The disease is spread by fleas." Recommended reading: HMRC warning issued to anyone with a substantial amount of savings Coca-Cola mysteries - what is the secret recipe and is there cocaine in it? Could this Tassimo machine turn me into something I despise...a 'coffee lover' Bubonic plague is a bacterial infection caused by Yersinia pestis. According to the CDC and WHO, the ways plague moves from animals to humans involve being bitten by fleas that carry the infection, having direct contact with infected animal matter, and breathing in tiny infected particles released into the air. Symptoms include fever, chills, headaches, muscle aches, and swollen lymph nodes - often referred to as 'buboes.' The last significant outbreak of bubonic plague in the UK occurred in Suffolk in 1918, though occasional cases have been suspected since.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
An Ancient Diary Reveals How 3 Horrifying Summers May Have Altered the Path of an Entire Nation
An abnormally cold period known as the Little Ice Age significantly cooled down most of Europe during the late 16th through early 19th centuries, but historical documents reveal it had the opposite effect on some regions. Transylvania experienced some cold flashes, but mostly suffered from punishingly hot summers that resulted in famine and a boom in the rodent population that spread the Bubonic Plague. While the Little Ice Age was not caused by human activity, researchers think that historical records like this are valuable in helping us determine how to prepare for natural disasters and prevent anthropogenic climate change in the future. The yellowed and sometimes barely legible pages of 16th-century texts speak of disaster after disaster—from the Black Death to locust invasions to a period of intense climate change that ravaged Transylvania. The Little Ice Age, as it's now known, was a period during which the expansion of mountain glaciers had a severe impact on the European climate. From the 16th to the mid-19th century, the unusual weather patterns caused most of Europe to experience what seemed like an everlasting winter. But, oddly enough—as a team of researchers found out when they looked through pages of chronicles and diaries from the period—Transylvania instead suffered from strangely hot weather that led to famine and a Bubonic Plague epidemic. 'The analysis of the periods in which the testimonies were recorded indicates that the great majority of the analyzed century is characterized by relatively warm weather, with hot summers and hot years, particularly cold winters and cold years, being mentioned very rarely,' the research team said in a study recently published in Frontiers in Climate. People have a tendency to record extremes in weather. For instance, there was once a summer that saw hail the size of goose eggs, and it was so warm one autumn that strawberries were still growing in October. Years for which few weather records (if any) can be found probably mean that those years saw a brief respite in extreme weather. The Little Ice Age did bring a few cold flashes to the Transylvania region. Some writings from 1510 record a winter so harsh that hay for livestock dried up and led to a string of thefts, while others from 1550 recall a winter that dragged on until May. But alas, much more common were the heat waves, which written records attest continued for several consecutive years. There were three significant hot periods in Transylvania at the time, but the worst undoubtedly started in 1527, and is thought to be the longest period of hot weather during the entire 16th century. There were eleven years of scorching, dry summers that often led to locust invasions—sometimes, it even became unnaturally dark during the day because the entire sky was thick with locusts. Grain crops were destroyed by the insects and led to famine. It only grew worse from there. 'The poor harvests of the rainy years and the atypical weather from the fall of 1553 and the winter towards 1554, sunny as if it were spring, caused the malnutrition that facilitated the terrible plague epidemic of 1553–1554, especially in the south of Transylvania,' one written record states. While mortality from starvation increased during the famine, nothing took so many lives as the Bubonic Plague. Warmer climates can cause rodent populations to explode, and this is most likely how the Plague—which was carried largely by fleas on rodents such as rats—spread through Transylvania. Also known as the Black Death, the Bubonic Plague had at least a 60-80% mortality rate, and easily wiped out much of a population already weak from famine. Some tried fleeing to the mountains to escape it, but only ended up starving to death. While many people of the time believed that storms, infestations, and disease were some form of divine retribution, scientists now know that disruptions in climate have much more tangible causes. The Little Ice Age was not the result of human activity, but the researchers who read through all these accounts think that such documents could teach us more about those causes and possibly help us prevent anthropogenic climate change in the future. 'By corroborating historical sources with modern proxy data, not only a deeper understanding of past climate variability,' the team said in the study, 'but also obtaining relevant information for managing current and future climate variability.' You Might Also Like The Do's and Don'ts of Using Painter's Tape The Best Portable BBQ Grills for Cooking Anywhere Can a Smart Watch Prolong Your Life?
