Covid-19 (2019-2021/2022)

COVID-19 is a disease caused by a new coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2. SARS-CoV-2 was first reported in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, and has since been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation. People of all ages who experience fever and/or cough associated with difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, chest pain or pressure, or loss of speech or movement should seek medical care immediately.

There have been major occurrences of other dreaded diseases across history; here are a few: (Courtesy: Economic Times)

HIV/AIDS (2005-2012)

AIDS is an auto-immune disease, caused by the Human Immuno Virus (HIV), what was first identified in the Republic of Congo in 1976 but did not become a pandemic until it peaked between 2005 and 2012 largely affecting the African continent. The sexually transmitted virus has killed over 35 million people in the decades of its existence.

Hong Kong flu (1968)

The flu of 1968 was a global outbreak of the influenza virus, which originated in the Asian continent. The pandemic was caused by the virus' H3N2 subtype — suspected to have evolved from a previous influenza outbreak — in 1957. The virus killed one million people.

Asian flu (1957)

The Asian flu was an avian influenza outbreak that spread in the late 1950s and later died out after a vaccine was introduced. At its height, the virus killed two million people.

Spanish flu (1918)

One of the deadliest flu outbreaks in history, it infected about 500 million people, and killed over 50 million people. The pandemic was one of the two outbreaks caused by the H1N1 virus. Reportedly, the spread of disease was exacerbated by overcrowded hospitals and poor hygiene.

Sixth cholera (1910-1911)

The sixth cholera outbreak began in India, subsequently spreading to the Middle East, North Africa, Eastern Europe and Russia. The outbreak killed 8,00,000 people.

Flu (1889-1890)

This version of the influenza virus was the H3N8 subtype, originating in the Russian Empire and subsequently spreading across the Northern Hemisphere aided by the advent of modern transport infrastructure. The disease claimed one million lives.

Third cholera (1852)

The third cholera outbreak also originated in India and spread across continents — claiming over one million lives across the world. Of the epidemics in the 19th century, the third cholera outbreak had the highest fatalities.

The Black Death (1346-1353)

The deadliest outbreak in recorded history, the Black Death killed over 200 million people, reshaping demographics across the world. Historians believe the disease originated in Asia and travelled across the world on ships that housed black rats.

Plague of Justinian (541-542)

An outbreak of bubonic plague, the pandemic hit the Byzantine Empire and many cities around the Mediterranean Sea, spreading with ease due to the large number or unclean ships arriving into the ports. The plague is estimated to have killed 25 million people (at that point, that was close to half the population of Europe).

Antonine plague (AD 165)

The Antonine plague — also known as the Plague of Galen — hit the Roman Empire, killing five million people. It was suspected to have been either smallpox or measles brought back by troops returning to Rome from the Far East