Due to the recent events in the world it is a must to count down the Top 5 Worst Pandemics in the history of the world. Lay back, relax and enjoy the article!
Due to the Covid-19 Corona Virus and the recent sad events that probably have change our perspective of normality we want to dig a bit deeply in the history of pandemics and illnesses. First and foremost let’s take a look of the definition of pandemic:
It is important to understand that any illness to be pandemic doesn’t have to be necessarily very deadly: as a matter of fact is most likely that a non deadly illness becomes pandemic way more than a deadly one because can be spread around much easily and it gets way more contagious.
This top 5 worst pandemics in history is listed by the death toll number.
5. Antonine Plague (year: 165BC – Death Toll: 5 million)
The Antonine Plague is also known as Plague of Galen and it is a very ancient pandemic similar to SmallPox. It affected Asia Minor, Greece, Italy and Egypt and the causes are still unknown. The disease killed almost the whole Roman army once brought back to Europe from Mesopotamia.
4. Plague of Justinian (Years: 541-542 Death Toll: 25 million)
The plague of Justinian was an outbreak of the bubonic plague that afflicted the Byzantine Empire in many Mediterranean port cities. It killed more than 25 million people, almost the half of the European population back on time. In Constantinople alone it killed the 40% of the city’s population and still today is remembered as on of the worst pandemics ever in history.
3. HIV/AIDS Pandemic (Years: 80s/90s/00s – Death Toll: 36 million)
Probably the most known pandemic of the last century AIDS was first identified in Democratic Republic of Congo in 1976 and after the80s HIV/AIDS has been recognized as a true global pandemic killing more than 35 million people since 1981. Even if the illness still exists thanks to the new cures and the global knowledge about AIDS the (former) pandemic ain’t deadly anymore.
2. Flu Pandemic of 1918 (Year: 1918 – Death Toll: 20-50 million)
Back in 1918 till 1920 an terrible outbreak of influenza infected over a third of the world’s population killing somewhere between 20 to 50 million people. The mortality rate was estimated between 10% and 20%with 25 million victims in the first 25 weeks! One of the worst pandemics of the history of the world.
1. The black Death (Years: 1346-1353 Death Toll: 75-200 million)
The unfortunate “winner” of this special Top 5 of the worst pandemics the history is The Black Death. This pandemic was an outbreak of the Bubonic Plague and ravaged Asia, Europe and Africa with a death toll potentially as high as 200 million. It seemed that the plague jumped continents via the fleas on the rats of the merchant ships and literally devastated three continents.
