Epidemics and Plagues

By enterics
  • 160

    Plague contributes to the collapse of the Han empire (160).

  • 165

    “Antonine” plague kills 5 million people of the Roman empire (165-180).

    “Antonine” plague kills 5 million people of the Roman empire (165-180). Emperors Lucius Verus (in 169) and Marcus Aurelius (in 180) also succumb to the plague.
  • 541

    “Justinian plague”

    541: “Justinian plague” kills a quarter of the population in the Mediterranean region, & 25 million worldwide. At its peak, 5-10,000 deaths a day in Istanbul (then called Constantinople). Most likely bubonic plague.
  • Jan 1, 1345

    The Black death, likely bubonic plague, sweeps across Europe – kills up to two-thirds of Europe’s population. 40 million victims worldwide (1345-1351).

  • Jan 1, 1490

    Syphilis epidemic in Europe; spreads widely in Europe (1490).

  • Period: Jan 1, 1492 to

    Small pox epidemics in Native Americans (1492-1900).

  • Jan 1, 1520

    Cortez killed in battle, but Smallpox kills 25% of Aztecs (1520). 1000 deaths/day in Tlaxcala.

  • Great plague of London (1665). Bubonic plague, 100,000 (20% of the population) killed. 40,000 killed in France in 1668.

  • First cholera pandemic (1816-1826).

    First cholera pandemic (1816-1826).
    Cholera had been around for a long time in India, but it took the development of trade routes and travelers to help spread it worldwide. The first pandemic starts in India, and spreads to the Middle East, Russia and China. Mortality must have been extremely high, but exact numbers are not available. The British Army recorded 100,000 deaths just amongst its troops. There have been 7 cholera pandemics since then, with the latest one starting in 1961, and and continuing to the present.

  • Second cholera pandemic – 100,000 killed (1829–1851).

  • Cholera outbreak in New York leaves 3, 515 dead (total population: 250,000). 1831.

    Extra extra: How epidemics shaped the modern metropolis. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/15/science/15chol.html

  • Start of the third plague pandemic (last ‘great’ plague). Starts in China, spreads worldwide. Kills 12 million people (1850).

  • Third cholera pandemic (1852–1860). 1 million killed.

  • Memphis yellow fever: Cuban refugees carry yellow fever to Memphis. 5,000 deaths in Memphis alone, 20,000 in the Mississippi delta (1878).

  • Russian Flu or influenza outbreak (1889–1890). 1 million deaths worldwide.

  • Sixth cholera pandemic (1899–1923). 800,000 dead.

  • Polio epidemic (1916). 9,000 cases in New York. 25% of the victims died.

  • 1918 “Spanish” Flu pandemic (1918–1920). One-third of the world population was infected. 75 million killed worldwide.

  • Asian flu (1957–1958). 2 million deaths.

  • Hongkong Flu (1968–1969). 1 million deaths worldwide.

  • India’s small pox epidemic – 100,000 cases, 20,000 deaths (1970 CE). India became free of smallpox in 1975.

  • HIV/AIDS pandemic (1981–present). >25 million deaths worldwide.

  • SARS epidemic (2003). Starts in Asia, and spreads worldwide. 8,000 cases, 774 deaths

  • Zimbabwe cholera outbreak (2008–2009). 4, 293 deaths.

    Zimbabwe cholera outbreak (2008–2009). 4, 293 deaths.

  • 2009 Flu pandemic (2009-2010). 14, 286 deaths worldwide.

  • Haiti cholera outbreak (2010-present). 4,750 + deaths.