From the ancient time, the human race has
probably died more from the infectious disease than all other causes combined.
In the past 100 years or more, despite nutritional and medical advancement,
have we come forward from living in constant worry that merely a cough or fever
might be a death sentence? Despite all our medical and technological
breakthroughs, when dealt with the prospect of an epidemic or a warlike disease
states, we are not that different from prehistoric.
A very thoughtful lookout is needed to view the sequential attacks of the different tiny viruses and engulf millions of life. The whole world is prepared at how to deal with the Atomic attacks, but we fail to protect ourselves from these tiny cells. Right now the entire world is threatened and witnessed millions of deaths by the COVID-19 pandemic. But the history of deaths by viruses are not new there were pandemics and epidemics in past and recent past. The past ten years alone have seen major outbreaks of swine flu, the Ebola, Nipah and Zika viruses, and even a resurgence of plague in some regions. Even today, along with Novel Corona outbreak there are serious threats of Ebola and Zika viruses are co-existing in some part of the world. There are four stages of epidemic grief: denial, panic, fear, and if all goes well rational response. From last three months, the whole world is still in a panic.
From the last
time there were millions of death by various deadly viruses, importantly
mention, HIV/AIDS pandemic (at its peak, 2005-2012), the number of deaths: 36
million. First identified in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1976.
Between 2005 and 2012 the annual global deaths from HIV/AIDS dropped from 2.2
million to 1.6 million. Flu pandemic (1968), number of deaths: 1 million,
cause: Influenza a category 2 flu pandemic sometimes referred to as “the Hong
Kong flu,” the 1968 flu pandemic was caused by the H3N2 strain of influenza a
virus, while the 1968 pandemic had a comparatively low mortality rate (0.5%) it
still resulted in the deaths of more than a million people, including 500,000
residents of Hong Kong, approximately 15% of its population at the time. Asian
flu (1956-1958) number of deaths: 2 million, cause: Influenza. Asian flu was a
pandemic outbreak of influenza a of the H2N2 subtype, that originated in china
in 1956 and lasted until 1958. Estimates for the death toll of the Asian flu
vary depending on the source, but the world health organization places the
final tally at approximately 2 million deaths, 69,800 of those in us alone. Flu
pandemic (1918) number of deaths: 20 -50 million cause: Influenza, between 1918
and 1920 a disturbingly deadly outbreak of influenza tore across the globe,
infecting over a third of the world’s population and ending the lives of 20 –
50 million people. Out of the 500 million people infected in the 1918 pandemic,
the mortality rate was estimated at 10% to 20%, with up to 25 million deaths in
the first 25 weeks alone. Sixth cholera pandemic (1910-1911), number of deaths:
800,000+, cause: cholera-like. Its five previous appearances, the sixth cholera
pandemic originated in India where it killed over 800,000, before spreading to
the Middle East, North Africa, Eastern Europe and Russia. The sixth cholera
pandemic was also the source of the last American outbreak of cholera
(1910–1911). Flu pandemic (1889-1890), death toll: 1 million, cause: Influenza.
originally the “Asiatic Flu” or “Russian Flu” as it was called, this strain was
thought to be an outbreak of influenza a virus subtype H2N2, though recent discoveries
have instead found the cause to be influenza a virus subtype H3N8. Third
cholera pandemic (1852–1860), death toll: 1 million, cause: cholera. in which
23,000 people died in Great Britain. The Black Death (1346-1353), number of
deaths: 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. Plague of Justinian (541-542), number of
deaths: 25 million, cause: bubonic plague, thought to have killed perhaps 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, killing up to 25 million people in its year-long reign of terror. Antonine
plague (165 ads) death toll: 5 million cause: unknown, also known as the plague
of Galen. The Antonine plague was an ancient pandemic that affected Asia Minor,
Egypt, Greece, and Italy and is thought to have been either smallpox or
measles, though the true cause is still unknown. Other than these there are the
number of deadly viruses who have attacked us time to time and killed millions
in resent past as Chikungunya, Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever, Hendra Virus
Infection, Lassa Fever, Nipah Virus Infection, Novel Coronavirus (COVID-2019),
Marburg Virus Disease, Mers-Cov, Monkeypox, Sars, Mers, Yellow Fever Etc.
The question
is, will the most superior humans be dying in millions, whenever these novel
microbes attack us? Can we do something to prevent these situations before they
arrive or at least to deal effectively and quickly to minimize our loss of
lives? Can we find out some kind of pattern or environmental similarity for
these viral attacks to crack them down before they appear? Are we prepared or preparing
enough?
‘If you
want to panic, go right ahead. It’s what we do. It’s what our ancestors did.
Then be afraid. Eventually, however, roll up your sleeves and get to work,
scrubbing this bug back to whatever its host species happens to be. We’ll get
there. Humanity has so far survived every microbe that has jumped the species
barrier, and we will survive this one.’-Sintia Radu,
Source:
https://www.who.int/health-topics/crimean-congo-haemorrhagic-fever/#tab=tab_1
https://www.mphonline.org/worst-pandemics-in-history/
Authored by: Dr. Bharat Misra Professor & Head, Department of Pharmacology
Nirmala College of Pharmacy, Muvattupuzha
Interesting and informative... Thank you sir
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