Today we are thankful for advances in medicine and science. Every illness is curable.
We are also blessed with vaccines that prevent us from getting preventable diseases.
However, these people in the past are not lucky. They die in the thousands as diseases ravaged and collapsed societies Here are the deadliest pandemics to ever occur in the world.
1. Spanish Flu – 1918
It’s hard to imagine that just 100 years ago, the deadly flu swept every corner of the world, infecting over 500 million people. The flu spread like wildfire through sneezes and coughs by an infected person. It is estimated that as high as 100 million people died, 5% of the world population at that time – with most of the victims under 65. The victims were disproportionately young people. Many countries suffer high fatalities, with an estimated 17 million dead in India.
The pandemic lasted for two years, from January 1918 to December 1920. The spread of the flu was made worse by the ongoing war, malnourishment, overcrowded medical camps, poor hygiene and superstitions that accelerated the spread.
2. The Plague
In Middle Age Europe the deadliest pandemic unfolded. Ships from China carried infected rodents where it already wrecks death in Asia. History recorded that the Plague began in Sicily with 12 infected Genoese ships in October 1347 where it rapidly spread throughout the island. It rapidly spread throughout the European continent, killing millions.
As a result, whole towns and villages were filled with dead and infected bodies. Crops failed as the farmers themselves got infected and died. Doctors, people were infected by the dead bodies themselves. No one was spared from the disease, from peasants to noblemen to monasteries and royalty. It is estimated that as high as 200 million people died from the disease and more from hunger.
The Plague did not only caused millions to die. It irrevocably changed European societies and the course of history, many of which can still be felt today.
3. The HIV/AIDS Epidemic
The saddest thing about this is that it is still happening worldwide. Only recognized in 1981, more than 30 million people worldwide have died, with 36 million people still living with the virus. That is the only tip of the iceberg, as many people are afraid to tell that they have HIV/Aids due to the stigma attached. Thankfully, more campaigns have been launched to spread awareness and there are organizations that even provide HIV Prevention Pill and other treatments to help people who are at risk of contracting the virus.
4. Smallpox
Smallpox was the only disease to be eradicated by the medical community, thanks to mass vaccinations campaign by governments worldwide. Yet before it was eradicated, it killed over 800 million people.
The victims suffered extreme pain before their deaths. They suffered a fever of 28 C, vomiting, sores in mouth and skin rash. Soon, their skin became filled with bumps, which left scars once it peeled off. Death occurs 10- 16 days after the illness, mainly from multiple organ failures, some died as early as six days after the fever develop. To make matters worse, it was very contagious, through airborne and contaminated objects.
Thanks to mass vaccinations, the disease has been completely eradicated. We should all thank Edward Jenner who developed the vaccine and the WHO which led extensive campaigns for its eradication.
5. Cholera Outbreak
In the immediate aftermath of the Haiti earthquake in January 2010, diseases break out admits the collapsed sanitation and infrastructure. Declared in October 2010, it spread across the country, causing a high fatality rate. More than 10,000 people have died, with the disease still ongoing.
The diseases have been blamed on US peacekeepers who dumped raw sewage into the rivers which were used by Haitians for cooking and drinking. This could have been prevented had the UN spent preventative measures which costs $2000. Because of this, lawsuits have been filed against the UN for contributing and worsening the cholera outbreak.
Header Image : BBC | NCPEDIA | American Pregnancy | All That Is Interesting | Canadian Geographic
