- According to historians, smallpox is the disease that has caused the most deaths in history.
- Every December 27 marks the International Epidemic Preparedness Day and one of the reasons was to honor the birth of the French chemist Louis Pasteur.
- An epidemic and a pandemic are similar concepts but the main difference lies in their dimension.
As of 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) decreed that December 27 is the International Epidemic Preparedness Day. The ephemeris arose from the moment that was lived at that time and it is also a strategy to avoid repeating the same mistakes. But have you ever wondered which pandemics have caused the most deaths in history?
Before moving forward, the reason for choosing this specific date must be explained. It was December 27, 1822, when the French chemist was born. louis pasteurwho is considered the father of modern microbiology. He is the father of pasteurization, a technique that led to the development of vaccines and sterilization.
In turn, this event arose as a reminder that one must have strong and resilient health systems. This is the basis for dealing in the best possible way with an emergency such as the one caused by the Covid-19.
What is the difference between an epidemic and a pandemic?
Both concepts are quite similar although the main difference lies in their dimension. An epidemic is a disease that spreads throughout a country over a short period of time. On the other hand, a pandemic is used when a pathology no longer affects only one nation but several and becomes a global problem.
Pandemics that have caused many more deaths than Covid-19
Now, according to the most recent WHO count, The Covid-19 pandemic has caused 6.68 million deaths since its onset in late 2019 in China. Although this is an alarming figure, it is actually well below those that are considered the pandemics that have caused more deaths in history.
So far the deadliest is the smallpox. The biggest drawback is that the historical moment in which it arose is not known with certainty. According to historians, it has remained active for at least the last 500 years and during this period it has left 300 million fatalities.
At present it has been reduced to the lowest figures in history although there are still cases of smallpox in the poorest regions of the world.
Diseases reappear due to anti-vaccine groups
One step below is the measles because it has been responsible for at least 200 million deaths and the number keeps increasing. Although recently it was considered a disease about to be eradicated by the development of vaccines, now the picture is different because it has reappeared in countries like Mexico.
In the next position of the pandemics that have caused the most deaths is the Spanish fever. There is a debate regarding its point of origin because despite its name it is suspected that it actually arose in the United States. Although its period of maximum apogee was between 1918 and 1920, as a result of the First World War that spread throughout the planet until it caused 100 million deaths.
Next on the list is the Black Death, whose first cases date back to 1346 in Asia. Soon it spread to Europe and North Africa. It is estimated that it caused between 75 and 200 million people. The main difference with smallpox and measles is that it caused a strong impact in a relatively short period of time.
Finally, the top 5 is completed by the HIV AIDS. It is one of the most recent pandemics and to date has caused the death of 30 million people, but only if its start in 1981 is considered.
In his case, his biggest drawback is that there is still no cure. Although thanks to the development of antiretrovirals it is no longer a deadly disease.
Also read:
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