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541
Beginning of the plague of Justinian
This was the first major pandemic. Struck the Byzantine Empire. -
Period: 541 to 542
Plague of Justinian
Was caused by the Yersinia pestis bacteria, better known as Bulbonic Plague → a pathogen carried by rats and transferred to humans through fleas.
20-55 million people die, 1/4 of the earth’s population. -
1347
Beginning of the Black death
-The plague return 800 years later.
-Invention of quarantine -
Period: 1347 to 1351
Black death
Rat-borne disease where patients had dark swellings or buboes in the armpits and groin.
To prevent contagion, in Venice sailors were prevented from entering the city for forty days The black death took up 100-200 deaths across Eurasia, ⅓ of global population. -
1521
First Smallpox plague in America
Happened in the 16th century when Europeans came to colonize America.
20 million, about the 90% of the pre-columbian population died. -
Beginning of the Spanish flu
Is the most recent mass pandemic. -
Period: to
Spanish flu
Mainly affected young adults.
Affected 500 million worldwide and at the end of 1920 50 to 100 million people died, 4% of global population.