Most Dangerous Plagues In History
The last two years have seen the world combat the deadly Coronavirus, which has led to the death of over 4 million people worldwide. The coming of Coronavirus has made many people wonder if humankind has ever faced a challenge such as this before. Unfortunately, a journey into history tells us that we have, and have even had it worse as a people. Here is a list of some of the worst plagues to have ravaged history.
- The Bubonic Plague
Popularly known as the “Black Death,” this plague is perhaps the worst outbreak in human history. During the middle of the 14th century, from 1347-1351, the Black Death broke out in Europe, significantly impacting and shaking it and then the rest of the world. During the pandemic, 75 million people were estimated to have died, with some estimates reaching 200 million. The global population at that time was estimated to be just 450 million. Thus, Europe alone may have lost half its population within four years that the plague lasted.
The Black Death was named after the black spots seen on the skin of sailors who traveled the Silk Road and docked in Sicily, bringing the infectious disease with them from their Asian voyage.
- The Spanish Flu
This was a deadly pandemic that took place between 1918 and 1920 that affected over a third of the world’s population and killed 20 – 50 million people. This plague was noted for mainly killing those who were healthy, young, and well.