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430 BCE
Plague of Athens
This was the earliest known pandemic. It occurred during the Peloponnesian War. As much as two-thirds of the population died. The symptoms included fever, thirst, bloody throat and tongue, red skin and lesions. It was suspected to be a typhoid fever -
165
Antonine Plague
This was an early appearance of smallpox. Symptoms were fever, sore throat, diarrhea and, if the patient lived long enough, pus-filled sores. It began with the Huns -
541
Justinian Plague
It was the first form of Bubonic Plague which features enlarged lymphatic gland and is carried by rats and spread by fleas. It spread in Palestine and Byzantine Empire. -
1350
Black Death
This was the second Bubonic Plague killing one-thirds of the world population. It was one of the worst pandemics in the world -
First Cholera Pandemic
It was a small intestine infection that started in Russia killing about 1.5 million people in the world. It was the first of the seven cholera pandemics -
Third Cholera Pandemic
It killed a lot of the world population. Mostly in Russia and Great Britain. Jon Snow discovered that cholera is transmitted by contaminated water during this pandemic. -
Spanish Flu
It started after ww2 killing about 50 million people who were already weakened because of the war. It was an influenza virus that infected millions. -
Asian Flu
It started in Hong Kong and China and spread to USA, then the whole world. This Influenza Virus killed about 1.5 to 2 million people globally. -
HIV/AIDS
It destroys a person's immune system, resulting in death caused by other diseases that the body should fight off. Those infected by the HIV virus encounter fever, headache, and enlarged lymph nodes upon infection. It spreads by blood and genital fluids of patients. -
Covid-19
It originated from Wuhan, China as a new virus. Symptoms include respiratory problems, fever and cough, and can lead to pneumonia and death. It spreads by sneezing and coughing.