Deadliest Viruses in History
The world has seen a number of deadly viruses over the years, some of which have caused devastating pandemics. From the Spanish flu of 1918 to the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, here are some of the deadliest viruses in history.
Influenza
Influenza, commonly known as the flu, is an infectious disease caused by an influenza virus. The Spanish flu of 1918 is one of the most devastating pandemics in history, infecting an estimated 500 million people and killing between 17 million and 50 million. The Spanish flu was a particularly virulent strain of H1N1 influenza, and it spread quickly and efficiently due to a lack of understanding of the disease and its transmission.
Smallpox
Smallpox is an infectious disease caused by the variola virus. Smallpox has been around for thousands of years, and it is estimated to have killed up to 500 million people in the 20th century alone. It was eradicated in 1980 thanks to an aggressive global vaccination program.
Ebola
Ebola is a deadly virus that causes hemorrhagic fever. It was first identified in 1976 in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Since then, there have been several outbreaks in Africa, and the most recent occurred from 2013 to 2016 in West Africa. It is estimated that the virus killed more than 11,000 people during that outbreak.
AIDS
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is an infectious disease caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). It is estimated that more than 32 million people have died from AIDS since the virus was first identified in 1981.
SARS
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) is an infectious disease caused by a coronavirus. It first appeared in 2002 in China, and it quickly spread to other parts of the world. It is estimated that the virus killed more than 800 people and infected more than 8,000.
COVID-19
COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by the novel coronavirus. It first appeared in late 2019 in China, and it has since spread to every corner of the world. As of May 2021, it is estimated that the virus has killed more than 3.5 million people and infected more than 177 million.