It often seems that we’re living an unprecedented moment in history. In some ways, the COVID-19 pandemic and the responses to it are indeed their own unique phenomena. But a recent article explores pandemics throughout human history, showing how each one impacted society, healthcare, and even the future.
The article takes a brief look at famous pandemics like the Black Plague, the Spanish Flu and HIV/AIDS, as well as less well-known ones like the Justinian Plague. In addition to mortality rates, we learn about how the world reacted to these outbreaks at the time, and what, if anything, we’ve learned from them.
Sadly, the article also includes a few diseases that still haven’t been cured. A seventh outbreak of cholera, for instance, has been killing thousands of people every year, since 1961.
Read on to learn more fascinating facts about pandemics throughout human history.
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Contact our writer – Alysa Salzberg
