COVID-19 is the latest in a long series of pandemics. But let’s not panic! Let’s go back in history. Let’s understand how people have dealt with them in the past. Epidemics, pandemics have been around since the dawn of civilization, but back then we lived in small groups and had little opportunity to spread germs. All that has changed since humans formed villages, towns and cities.
According to history one of the worst pandemics in humanity struck the Byzantine Empire in the mid-sixth century of the common era. 5,000 people per day died in the capital during Yersinia Pestis, also known as bubonic plague.This was a pathogen carried by rats and transferred to humans via fleas. As many as 100 million people had perished. That’s half the population of Europe.
Like today people panicked but back then there was no sanitizers and masks, people turned to religion. In fact, the word “quarantine” comes from Italian “quaranta giorni” which literally means “40 days”. Officials forced infected people into their houses, a precursor to current “work from” situation.
As with all past outbreaks, COVID-19 will eventually come to an end. The cases will likely drop once number of people will develop immunity. There's also a chance that the number of infections may die down as the weather warms up.
Fear is normal during times like this. It’s a natural response designed to keep us safe. Distance yourself but socialize. We live in technologically advanced time. Use video chats. Vigilance and precautionary measures are essential. But psychological distress and widespread panic does not have to be part of this experience. Continuing normal daily activities and where possible, keep calm and carry on.
THIRD CHOLERA PANDEMIC (1852–1860)
Death Toll: 1 million
Cause: Cholera
The most deadly of the seven cholera pandemics, the third major outbreak of Cholera in the 19th century lasted from 1852 to 1860, originated in India, spreading from the Ganges River Delta before tearing through Asia, Europe, North America and Africa and ending the lives of over a million people. British physician John Snow, while working in a poor area of London, tracked cases of cholera and eventually succeeded in identifying contaminated water as the means of transmission for the disease.
THE BLACK DEATH (1346-1353)
Death Toll: 75 – 200 million
Cause: Bubonic Plague
From 1346 to 1353 an outbreak of the Plague ravaged Europe, Africa, and Asia, with an estimated death toll between 75 and 200 million people. It originated in Asia and jumped continents via the fleas living on the rats that so frequently lived aboard merchant ships.
PLAGUE OF JUSTINIAN (541-542)
Death Toll: 25 million
Cause: Bubonic Plague
Killed half the population of Europe, the Plague of Justinian was an outbreak of the bubonic plague that afflicted the Byzantine Empire and Mediterranean port cities. It was the first recorded incident of the Bubonic Plague, the Plague of Justinian left its mark on the world, killing up to a quarter of the population of the Eastern Mediterranean and devastating the city of Constantinople, where at its height it was killing an estimated 5,000 people per day and eventually resulting in the deaths of 40% of the city’s population.
Epidemics continue to remind us of our shared humanity because they show us how our individual survival is bound up in one another’s well-being.
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