As of April 20, health officials around the world reported almost 2.5 million COVID-19 cases with a death toll of about 170,000. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, has reported almost 800,000 coronavirus cases in the United States alone. 

Most U.S. state governments have imposed strict physical distancing measures in the hopes of curbing the spread of the virus and flattening the curve. Schools are closed, businesses have shut their doors, and many have lost their jobs. Nobody knows what's coming next. 

Pandemics have ravaged society throughout history. The diseases changed the course of human life; at times, it completely eradicated an entire civilization. Here are the nine pandemics that are probably worse than COVID-19.


Yellow Fever (1694 - 1878)

From the 1600s to the 1900s, people lived in fear over this disease which, some scientists say, might be 3000-years-old. According to the World Health Organization, the virus is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease contracted from infected mosquitoes. 

Yellow fever has an incubation period of 3 to 4 days. While some fully recover, a small percentage of patients suffer a more toxic phase. Fevers will return within a day of recovering from the initial stage. Body systems such as the liver and the kidneys are affected. Victims experience bleeding from the mouth, eyes, nose, or stomach. The virus can claim a person's life within 7 to 10 days. 

The mosquitoes spread rapidly in tropical areas. In 1878, the outbreak in the Mississipi valley infected more than 120,000 people and killing approximately 20,000 people.


Japanese Smallpox (735 - 737)

The smallpox epidemic was a major smallpox outbreak that affected much of Japan. It was estimated to have killed more than a million people or roughly one-third of the country's population. 

The disease was very contagious, devastating numerous civilizations since the time of ancient Egypt. Smallpox is known for developing rashes on an infected patient's face and body.

Smallpox is an airborne disease. People could get infected with any bodily fluids expelled by coughing and sneezing. Sharing contaminated clothing or bedding can also lead to infection. At its worst, the virus had a fatality rate of 30 percent. 


Hong Kong Flu (1968 - 1970)

The Hong Kong Flu, also known as H3N2, was the second-worst flu pandemic of the 20th century. The virus reportedly swept across southeast Asia within two weeks and ravaged the rest of the world within two months. 

Researchers believe the H3N2 mutated from earlier strains of flu. It is believed that the disease killed over 4 million people worldwide, with victims mostly over the age of sixty. 


Antonine Plague (165 -180)

This ancient epidemic swept through the Roman Empire and spread across the Mediterranean sea, affecting parts of Africa and Asia. The active trade and military movements of the time contributed to the rapid spread of the virus. 

It is not sure which disease caused the pandemic. However, based on accounts of ancient scholars, it is thought to be a deadly case of smallpox.

At its peak, the virus killed more than 2,000 people a day across Italy, Greece, and Asia Minor. The plague killed more than 5 million people in its rampage. Some believe it contributed to the collapse of the once-prominent Roman Empire. 


The Third Plague (1885 - 1959)

The Third Plague ravaged across all five continents for a record-breaking period of a hundred years. Health officials reported more than 12 million fatalities during their reign. 

Towards the end of the 19th century, doctors experimented on plague serums, killing as many people as it cured. Most states have also implemented strict quarantine measures and controlled rodent burns in hopes it could prevent the spread of the disease. 

On the plus side, the outbreak contributed to quality scientific research about the plague, allowing scientists to develop better research tools and methods. 


Plague of Justinian (541 - 750)

This plague is the first known outbreak caused by the bacterium, Yersinia pestis. The disease is believed to have originated in Africa and migrated to European countries through fleas on rats. 

According to ancient accounts, the plague killed more than 10,000 people a day. The existing health care systems and burying methods could not keep up with the surge, which led governments to cram dead bodies into buildings or out on the streets. 

The Third Plague is believed to have claimed over 50 million lives or 10 percent of the world's total population at the time. 

Spanish Flu (1918 - 1920)

The influenza outbreak of 1918 was the worst in history. The flu strain was caused by a virus that originated from birds. 

More than 500 million people were infected by the virus. The Spanish flu had a high mortality rate in various age groups, affecting both the young and the old. 

The disease is believed to have been introduced by soldiers returning from the battlefront. The lack of effective vaccines at the time made it easier for the virus to sweep across the globe, ultimately claiming 50 million lives. 


New World Smallpox (1520 - 1600s)

The Columbian Exchange, or the animal and plant trade between Europe and the Americas, resulted in one of the deadliest pandemics of all time. The smallpox disease spread like wildfire through South and Central America, killing 56 million people by the time it stopped. 

In Europe in the 1800s, smallpox reportedly killed more than 500,000 people yearly. Ninety percent of all indigenous people also fell victim to the disease. 

The disease is believed to have eradicated the Aztec empire and its people after Spanish conquistadors introduced the virus to the community. Smallpox killed more than 56 million Aztecs in a year. Their territory is now modern-day Mexico. 

Smallpox is the only disease that has been successfully eradicated through intense vaccines and isolation efforts. 


The Black Death (1347 - 1351)

The Bubonic Plague of 1347 is considered one of the deadliest pandemics of all time, plunging Europe into the Dark Ages. The disease originated in Asia and moved to Europe via merchant ships. 

At the start of the pandemic, 60 percent of Florence's population died due to the pandemic. The disease killed some victims quickly, while others suffered from blackened, dead skin and pus-filled boils and tumors. Victims would also suffer from internal bleeding and excruciating pain. Fluids that came out from an infected patient's body smelled revolting. 

In its four year period, the virus killed over 200 million people or half of Europe's population. Its death toll surpassed the number of fatalities from World War I and World War II combined. 


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