2020 is a year before and after in the course of human history. As of now, the term “Pandemic“Scares the people who listen to it. Much of this widespread fear is caused by something that happened around the world three years ago: Covid-19. The millions of infected and dead make the This fear pervades people, institutions and nations around the world.” The world, the world, and that’s no less.
The first cases of AIDS were detected in the US states of New York and California in the early 1980s, and the name was not given until 1982. 40 million peopleOf these, 60,000 Spaniards died from the disease.
However, these are not the only epidemics capable of bringing the world to its knees. Throughout history, plagues have occurred from time to time, endangering the continuation of mankind.
(The devastating plague ravaged Athens and destroyed her empire during the Peloponnesian War)
Plague of Justinian (541-542)
541 AD, Byzantine Empire Suffered a terrible plague that ended his life 30-50 million people. The Eastern Roman Empire had lost a quarter of its inhabitants, and the emperor himself was dying.
The plague that destroyed Byzantium was the first Where written sources are preserved. Justinian’s empire was at its peak. However, in 542 AD, a plague from Ethiopia arrived in Constantinople.
(The Byzantine emperor took the cross on which Jesus Christ died from the Persians)
After passing through what is now Istanbul economy is unbalanced because The number of dead exceeds the number of living able to work. A shortage of labor led to higher prices and paralyzed trade. The inflation that plagued that history persisted for decades. The army wiped out its own troops, and the occupied territories were taken away.
After four months in the Roman city, the plague migrated elsewhere, but it marked the course of this empire: 40% of the population died because of a terrible disease. Although the plague returned in waves over the ensuing centuries, it wasn’t until 1347 that it brought a deadly return: the Black Death.
(Theodora, famous courtesan who later became empress of the Byzantine Empire)
Black Death (1347-51)
In the middle of the 14th century, another terrible epidemic hit the “Old World”: the Black Death. This endemic disease remained with European populations until the early 18th century. However, the most critical moment occurred between 1347 and 1353.
The plague caught citizens off guard and permeated the way society behaved in the 14th century. No one knew what to do with the plague or how to cure it. Whether you were rich or beggar, the plague affected everyone regardless of social class.
(The first city in history to declare isolation: This is how the Black Death was controlled)
Many people speculated that his origin.Some believe in ancient Greek writings whose creators were miasma (Air corruption caused by decomposing organic matter detachment).Others equated the outbreak with astrology And the alignment of planets, eclipses, or comets seen. A large portion of the population agrees that the evils that gripped Europe at the time were the result of design. Holy To atone for the sins of mankind.
at nineteenth century The idea of a supernatural origin was overcome, and the plague was attributed to rats, or more specifically, to Parasites that live in these animals. The plague spread rapidly due to its center of origin: Kaffa (now Feodosia) and then a commercial enclave.
(The 5 oldest diseases in history)
The disease spread across the continent by ships and passengers departing from commercial cities.
Regarding the death toll, the latest research shows an impressive percentage: 60% of the population died.exist Spainthis Population increased from six million to two million. In all, the plague killed about 200 million people.
(The origin of the deadliest epidemic in history, the Black Death, was discovered)
Smallpox (1520)
In 1520 A.D., the locals called it “Leprosy“. It is also known as smallpox.
The disease came at the worst possible time: native Mexicans were in the midst of a battle to defend their capital against Spanish conquistadors. Smallpox, which hit the Americas, was the first major disease to emerge on the African continent, according to historians.
smallpox killed Tens of thousands of people And immigrated to South America from the Caribbean Islands and Mexico. In Mexico in particular, 2 to 3.5 million natives died. Smallpox affected 56 million people.
Spanish flu (1918-1919)
During the first months of World War I, a violent strain of the influenza virus spread rapidly across the globe, infecting one-third of the world’s population, leading to 50, or even 1 million deaths. If the latest figures on deaths from the contagion are true, it would have killed more people than the two world wars combined.
(The second wave of Spanish flu was more deadly than the first: this is the case with Covid-19)
Although influenza has several similar viruses, the deadliest is the influenza A virus, which, although known as the Spanish flu, saw the first fatality recorded in the United States. This strain quickly kills the victim. In the United States, stories abound about the effects of the flu. Fever, respiratory failure, bleeding in the lungs. Influenza spread on a large scale due to the rapid advance of the army.
more than 50 million deathsInfluenza killed most of Europe’s population, Spain was the worst affected country (about 115,000 deaths), but did not participate in the war.
(Spanish flu 100 years: 30 pictures explain 50 million deaths)
AIDS
At the end of the 20th century, a new disease was discovered and within a short time became a major health problem for the world population: AIDS.
The pandemic began in 1981 and since that date has caused About 40 million people died worldwide. Its origins may have come from African primates, according to a team of researchers at the University of Oxford. The question is how it spread from the African continent to Europe. According to some theories, the disease spread to Europe through ingestion of infected chimpanzees.
(A blow to HIV: They found a genetic variant that favors slow progression of the virus)