“We are facing what feels like an unprecedented time in history with the COVID-19 pandemic. However, human history has had encounters with deadly diseases on a massive scale.
Barbara Spiecker and Alicia Wooten of Atomic Hands created this informative video in collaboration with “The Daily Moth” to give an overview of the four of the deadliest epidemics & pandemics in history.” – The Daily Moth #STEMinASL
Transcript: Black Death (Bubonic Plague) When you think of the plague, you are probably thinking of the epidemic of bubonic plague in the mid 1300s. This disease was caused by a bacteria called Yersinia pestis. It originated in Mongolia and spread to Europe through trade routes. The bacteria originally was in rats then in fleas. These fleas would bite humans and pass the bacteria. Those who got sick would develop flu-like symptoms and their lymph nodes would swell up in the area where the bacteria entered the body. This was often in the armpits, neck, or groin area. These swollen lymph nodes would become black and that was why people called it the black death. The plague killed about 30-50% of the European population or about 50 million people and It is not known how or why it ended, but many people believe the implementation of non pharmaceutical interventions and public health measures such as quarantines, personal hygiene, use of disinfectants helped slow the pandemic. However, the bubonic plague continued to occur in smaller outbreaks over the years. This disease is still around today. From 2010 to 2015, over 3000 cases have occurred and almost 600 deaths. Spanish Flu The number of deaths from smallpox is similar to the 1918 Spanish Flu. During this time, at least 10% of the population died. Despite the name, this flu did not originate in Spain. Geographic origins are unclear, but genetic analysis suggests that the influenza H1N1 virus came from birds. During the final months of World War I, soldiers were living in dirty and wet conditions. They were also malnourished so their immune system was weakened. Many soldiers became ill with the flu. As soldiers began to return home all over the world, they brought the virus with them. About 500 million people in the world became infected and about 50 million died worldwide. These deaths came in three waves, with the second wave causing the most deaths. The virus killed children, young healthy people and older people. There was no discrimination of age groups which was unique, because the common flu typically killed children and older people. Because there was no vaccine against influenza yet, people had to practice non-pharmaceutical interventions like during the bubonic plague. Those who contracted the flu could develop pneumonia overnight and be dead the next day. This pandemic lasted for 2 years until those who were infected died or developed immunity. It wasn’t until several decades later that a vaccine was developed in 1938. Today we still see the H1N1 virus, but they are genetically different from the 1918 virus. Conclusion: We just discussed four major pandemics and you might have noticed that the number of deaths were very high. These numbers may be explained by varying degrees of medical knowledge and advancements during the different eras. However, even with strong modern public health measures and scientific knowledge, we are not completely immune. New strains of bacteria and viruses continue to evolve with us and new challenges will be encountered. As always, we will find ways to battle the pathogens we encounter.
