DEADLY PLAGUES

CHINA’S latest contribution to the world is yet another deadly disease that could wipe out humanity.

Last week the UK began monitoring flights arriving from China, as part of a series of precautionary measures after the spread of a new coronavirus.

But coronavirus is a long way from claiming the lives of history’s biggest plagues.

Here are the deadliest…

THE Third Cholera Pandemic ( 18521860) originated in India and spread far beyond its borders, killing 23,000 people in Britain alone. THE Asian Flu Pandemic ( 1957) was an outbreak of avian influenza ( bird flu) that originated in China and spread worldwide. Estimated death rate was one to two million.

TYPHUS fever in World War 1 ( 1914- 18) caused 3million deaths in Russia alone. COCOLITZLI epidemic ( 1576) refers to millions of deaths in present- day Mexico. The symptoms were much the same as Ebola, but included a dark tongue, jaundice and neck nodules. PLAGUE of Justinian ( 541- 542) affected the Eastern Roman

Empire and killed off an estimated 25million people, almost 13% of the world’s population. THE Antonine Plague ( 165- 180 AD) could have been smallpox or measles. The total death toll was about 5million.

THE Third Plague Pandemic ( 1855) refers to a bubonic plague pandemic that started in the Yunnan province in China. It caused almost 10million deaths.

THE Black Death ( 1334), also called The Great Plague, originated in ( yes) China and spread all along trade routes to Constantinople and Europe, where it claimed 60% of the European population. THE Great Flu

Epidemic ( 1918) claimed a death toll of between 20 million and 40 million, more people than were killed in WWI. HIV/ Aids global pandemic ( 1960s – present) is believed to have originated in the DR Congo around 1920. More than 65million people were infected with HIV, resulting in 25million deaths from the AIDS.