The shocking rise of the cases of COVID19 is a serious cause of concern. With countries like Italy having reported deaths at the highest numbers, there is no view of any vaccine nearby.
This rise in the number of active COVID19 cases has made us frantic.
We are all looking for a solution!
But there is a bigger question, whose answer, we are searching, everywhere!
Will there be no end to this virus? Will it be the new normal of living?
To unravel these answers, we have collated our list of the top 7 pandemics, as deadly as COVID19, that had gripped the world.
The list is not made with an attempt to scare, instead, it is made to show everyone, that we can get out of it. We have been in situations like this before, and we defeated it victoriously.
7 Pandemics When Time Stopped:
1. Cholera:
India being the originating point of this bacterial invasion in the year 1817, it slowly spread across the globe. Lasting for more than 15 years, it claimed the lives of close to 800 thousand people worldwide. Places like Africa, Middle East, US were not spared from the fatalities of this pandemic.
The potential danger of cholera was to the extent that even one infected person could kill the entire population of the village. Though the magnitude of the pandemic has reduced, a report from WHO states that in countries with low income, Cholera never actually went away. The report also sets the deadline of 2030 to eradicate Cholera.
2. Asian Flu:
Started in the year 1956 from China, the H2N2 virus caused deaths as high as 2 million worldwide. This influenza virus was communicable, which made it potentially more dangerous.
By 1958, it spread across numerous nations. Sources that the humans contacted this virus through virulent strains present in wild birds (after human consumption). As per a report of History Channel, it was due to the early recognition of the pandemic, that the vaccine could be made at the earliest.
3. HIV AIDS:
Started in the year 1976, from the African country of Congo, this claimed close to 30 Million lives during its course. Without any possible cure yet, it is probably the deadliest pandemic. Due to the main reasons for its spread being carnal desires, drug abuse, and infected needles, it had 21% of the youths in the US infected. With the highest cause of the cases being sexual contact; i.e. more than 85% of the cases, this pandemic still has close to 30 Million active cases worldwide.
There is no potential vaccine for HIV AIDS nearby, though the cases have reduced with time, due to voluntary male circumcision in African nations. As per the WHO report, more than 1% of the ones who underwent VMMC have averted contracting HIV AIDS, which is positive news.
4. Spanish Flu:
Another pandemic caused due to Influenza virus in our list, is the Spanish Flu. Started in the 19th century, the flu claimed close to 50 Million lives and is one of the deadliest flu in the history of mankind. Started just after the WW 1, it claimed more than twice the lives as claimed by the WW 1.
Affecting close to 5 Billion people, Spanish flu claimed the lives of 5% of the population worldwide. An astonishing fact about the flu was it affected the younger demographics of the society. Moreover, if anyone would survive, their immunity could never get back to their normal state.
5. Bubonic Plague:
The movie named Black Death barely sums up the entire pandemic within its time frame. Killing people is the deadliest ways, starting in the 14th century, it swiped away close to 50% of the European population.
It killed close to 200 million people worldwide making it the highest killer among the pandemics. Sources are still not clear about the originating place, but China is considered to be a contributing nation to its spread.
It is important to note that rats were the main carriers of the virus and they carried it worldwide by ships. Waterways were the only mode of communication during these times, and they were also the homes to infested rats.
Though clarity about how it ended is not cited, yet quarantine of the un-infected ones are said to be a major contributor is controlling the black death.
6. Plague of Athens:
It is the oldest pandemic in the history of mankind, dating back to 430 BC. The plague of Athens was responsible for wiping out close to 2/3rd of the population of Athens, Greece.
The pandemic caused Athens bigger loss as it cost them to lose the war against the Spartans.
Though the sources are not clear, there is a hint that the plague entered the city through the ports.
Killing close to 100 thousand people, during the war, the pandemic bought about major shifts in the religious beliefs of the people.
History has it that Hippocrates was instrumental in curing the plague.
7. Great Plague of London:
Killing almost 20% of the population of London, the second wave of the Bubonic Plague in London is also called the Great Plague. This plague was no less fatal than the first wave, creating havoc in terms of the causes of the plague.
Though there was no certain reason for the plague, yet many dogs and cats were killed, citing them as the source of the plague.
It ended by the end of 1665, with the beginning of the massive London Fire, which killed many innocent lives.
Why is COVID 19 a dangerous pandemic?
One of the striking features for any disease to be dangerous is the ease of communicability.
COVID19 can travel from one place to another in a very simpler manner, compared to anything like Ebola. If we compare the previous pandemics, none of them were as communicable, except for Cholera.
Secondly, asymptomatic patients can be the cause of the outburst. Unlike Ebola, there is no clarity about whether a person is a carrier.
These are the reasons why COVID19 might just become too tough to control.
