The worst outbreaks of pandemics in history

New Delhi, Mar 12: The coronavirus outbreak has been labelled a pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

A pandemic describes a disease that spreads between people in different countries at the same time. Wikipedia describes pandemic as a disease epidemic that has spread across a large region.

The last time that a pandemic occurred was in 2009 owing to the outbreak of swine flu. Pandemics are when a virus is brand new and can affect people easily. In February WHO had said that the coronavirus had absolutely pandemic potential.

Let us take a look at the outbreak of the worst pandemics in history.

HIV/AIDS:

It was first identified in the Democratic Republic of Congo ini 1976. It has killed more than 36 million worldwide since 1981. With the growth of awareness and new treatments being developed it is far more manageable today. Between 2005 and 2012, the death rate globally has dropped from 2.2 million to 1.6 minion.

Flu Pandemic:

The first case of the category 2 Flu pandemic also referred to as the Hong Kong Flu was reported in Hong Kong in 1968. It then spread to Singapore, Vietnam, Philippines, Australia and the United States. It resulted in the death of more than a million people.

Asian Flu:

Asian Fly was a pandemic outbreak of influenza A of the H2N2 subtype. It originated in China in 1956 and lasted until 1958. There were around 2 million deaths reported. The pandemic was reported in China, Singapore, Hong Kong and the United States.

6th Cholera Pandemic:

Like the previous five, the sixth cholera pandemic originated in India, where 8 lakh people died. It then spread to the Middle East, North Africa, Eastern Europe and Russia. The sixth cholera pandemic was also the source of the last American outbreak of cholera between 1910 and 1911. The pandemic claimed the lives of 20 million people.

The Black Death:

Between 1346 and 1353, an outbreak of the plague ravaged Europe, Africa and Asia. The estimated death toll was between 75 and 200 million. Thought to have originated in Asia, the Plague most likely spread across continents via the fleas living on the rats.