THE pandemic it is characterized by an infectious epidemic that affects large populations, transmitted by people and spread across different continents.
Various microorganisms involving bacteria and virus they have already caused profound damage to humanity, as well as wars and natural disasters.
Let's look at some of the biggest pandemics in history.
Bubonic Plague or Black Plague
THE bubonic plague or black Plague is a disease caused by a bacteria present in rats. Human infection with the disease occurs through the bite of rats and fleas or by air transmission.
The disease could attack the following human body systems:
- Lymphatic: Creates swelling throughout the body;
- Circulatory: Shortens the life of the infected one to two days;
- Respiratory: When attacked, the infected person has a life expectancy of about a week;
- Bloody.
The disease reached the entire European continent. Scholars deduce that the Black Death killed approximately a third of the European population during the 14th century.
The lack of basic sanitation, hygiene and scientific resources made it impossible to really control the disease.
The disease even spread to the Asian continent, killing thousands of people. It spread to Europe and Asia in the middle of the 14th century.
Cholera
THE cholera had its first outbreak on a global scale in 1817. However, it was already a known disease since antiquity.
Some scholars point out that this was perhaps the first pandemic, as it reached all continents. Killed thousands of people around the world.
It is not an eradicated disease, that is, the virus that sustains it still manifests itself in society. It causes diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and other symptoms.
The main form of infection is through infected food and water. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), this disease kills around 100 to 120 thousand people a year. It is necessary for the government to invest in vaccination and basic sanitation as the main form of prevention.
russian flu
the first outbreak of russian flu with records took place in Bukhara, present-day Uzbekistan, in 1889. It spread very quickly, quickly reaching Africa, Europe and America.
Symptoms were observed through pneumonia and fever. Killed over a million people. It was the first fully documented pandemic.
Tuberculosis
the outbreak of tuberculosis it took place between the years of 1850 and 1950. The disease violently attacks the respiratory system. It even killed millions of people in Brazil and it is estimated that it has claimed around 1 billion victims worldwide during the period.
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The disease was efficiently treated with penicillin. Currently, tuberculosis is considered controlled.
Spanish flu
THE Spanish flu it is a variation of the influenza virus. The first recorded cases date back to 1918 and since then it has been considered one of the most resistant diseases in the world.
It is believed that about 50% of the world's population was contaminated, which caused about 40 million deaths.
It is considered the worst pandemic in all of history.
asian flu
THE asian flu it manifested itself in China in 1957, rapidly advancing to the rest of the Asian continent, reaching Oceania, Europe, Africa and the United States.
With the advancement of medicine, a vaccine capable of curing the disease was created. However, they were manufactured in small quantities, a fact that made it impossible to immunize all those infected. The number of deaths reached approximately 2 million victims.
Swine flu
THE Swine flu it manifested itself in Mexico, a country where the virus has mutated and started to infect humans.
Before that, he could only hit pigs. Killed about 17,000 people around the world, including young people.
Detected in 2009, the disease has spread throughout the world.
Coronavirus
O new coronavirus (Covid-19) came to be considered a pandemic by the WHO for having reached all continents.
The disease manifested in Wuhan Province, China, in late 2019 and has spread throughout the world.
Cultural and sporting events were cancelled, cities stopped their activities for fear of contracting the fast-spreading virus. Furthermore, the borders of the European continent and countries on other continents were closed.
The virus has a 2% lethality/death rate. However, in elderly people over 80 years old, this estimate rises to 15%. People with respiratory problems and low immunity are vulnerable to the virus.
Covid-19 can infect up to 70% of the entire world population. Therefore, it can also be considered as one of the biggest pandemics in history.
Learn more at:
- Coronavirus - Elderly and others from the risk group should be quarantined
- Coronavirus – 6 Myths and False Tips on Fighting COVID-19
- Can the spread of the new coronavirus accelerate the end of globalization?
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