How did the epidemic end?

When we left home before the coronavirus epidemic, we never thought we might have the disease. But some of the viruses or bacteria that our ancestors survived by fighting are still with us.

Scroll down to see how these epidemics came to an end. You will also get an idea of ​​what may happen in the future.

Her name is Jasmine

Like us, his ancestors survived several epidemics.

Let's go back to the past and see what kind of illness they had to deal with.

Bubonic plague - this terrible disease is still among us

Has appeared three times as an epidemic. The first epidemic took place in 541 AD

Jasmine's ancestors suffered several bubonic plague epidemics in ancient times about 60 years ago.

The disease is transmitted from rats through a type of fly and is transmitted from person to person through respiratory water particles. The effect was terrible.

Yersinia pestis bacteria reproduce in the body of special species of rats.

Over the next 2,000 years, the plague killed billions of people.

In particular, the 'Black Death' epidemic of 1348-1353 was the most deadly.

At one time this plague was the cause of many deaths. But now the death rate is very low.

More than 10 crores

1 crore - 10 crore

Less than 10 lakh

* Accounts from 2010 to 2015

Note: The world's population has increased more than ever. If the previous epidemics had happened now, the effects would have been much more severe.

Sources: World Health Organization, and other research papers.

It is thought that bubonic plague causes swelling of the lymph nodes in the body, called buboes. By imposing strict quarantine restrictions, this epidemic is finally defeated through improved drainage and other measures.

This would not have been possible without a clear idea of ​​how the disease spreads, says Steven Riley, a professor of infectious disease at Imperial College London. This also applies to the current epidemic.

"Only when your perception of the infection is clear when everyone knows about it, can you take effective steps to reduce the infection."

Plague can still occur in some countries. The plague hit Inner Mongolia in July this year. Theoretically, jasmine can still be affected by this disease.

The incidence of plague has been low lately. It is now possible to successfully treat the plague with antibiotics.

Smallpox - the science that has eradicated the virus

It has appeared as a massive epidemic several times. First seen in 1520

Hundreds of years later, Jasmine's ancestors faced a smallpox epidemic.

The disease is caused by a virus called variola minor. Smallpox is one of the most deadly diseases in human society.

When infected with this disease, small lumps filled with fluid can be seen all over the body. And when the epidemic peaked, three out of every 10 smallpox patients died.

It is spread from the nose, mouth, or cocoon of an infected patient.

Variola minor virus is not transmitted through animals

Like the plague, smallpox has claimed the lives of billions of people. In the twentieth century alone, 300 million people have died from the disease.

Smallpox has killed at least 350 million people worldwide - but no one dies today.

More than 10 crores

1 crore - 10 crore

Less than 10 lakh

Sources: World Health Organization, and other research papers.

But the smallpox was completely eradicated in 1897 with the use of a vaccine developed by British doctor Edward Jenner and researchers. But it took about 200 more years for that to happen.

Smallpox is the only disease that has been eliminated through this treatment. Professor Riley thinks that this is an extraordinary achievement of human civilization, just like landing on the moon.

"This can be seen as a record benefit of government spending on health," he said, referring to the world's financial savings in the absence of the disease.

Thanks to this scientific achievement, Jasmine and I are now risk-free.

Cholera - an epidemic in low-income countries

Its prevalence in various countries up to the present time. A major epidemic was observed in 1818.

Then about eight men ago Jasmine's ancestor had to deal with an outbreak of cholera.

The disease is spread through contaminated food or drinking water. A total of seven cholera epidemics have been reported so far, according to the World Health Organization. It has killed millions of people.

Vibrio malaria bacteria contaminate water and food

The risk of cholera has been eliminated from western countries through improved drainage systems. But in many low-income countries, the disease still remains an ‘endemic’ or local-level epidemic. The World Health Organization estimates that between 100,000 and 140,000 people die of cholera each year.

Cholera has killed millions of people. Thousands of people still die of cholera.

More than 10 crores

1 crore - 10 crore

Less than 10 lakh

* Accounts per year

Sources: World Health Organization, Ali M, Nelson AR, Lopez AL, SAC DA (2015) Global Burden of Cholera in Endemic Countries.

"With water management, you can reduce the incidence of cholera," says Professor Riley, "but if something goes wrong, it can spread quickly again."

This is the only reason why, despite having vaccines and simple treatments, Jasmine can get cholera wherever she is at home and she can die quickly.

Influenza - a seasonal plague

Epidemics of various periods, 1800-2000 years

Jasmine's family has also survived several flu pandemics. The worst epidemic of the twentieth century was when his 'great-great-grandparent' survived.

The deadliest outbreak of influenza, known as the Spanish flu, occurred in 1918. It kills 5 to 100 million people worldwide.

Much like today's new epidemic of coronavirus, it is possible to isolate the patient or reduce the spread of influenza through strict quarantine.

The main cause of the Spanish flu is the H1N1 virus

Outbreaks of H1N1 virus declined after two consecutive epidemics between 1918 and 1920. But a less deadly of these germs still spreads every year in the existing habitat.

The Spanish flu has killed millions of people. This seasonal plague is still the cause of human death

More than 10 crores

1 crore - 10 crore

Less than 10 lakh

* Accounts per year

Note: The death toll from the seasonal flu is different from the flu pandemic.

Source: World Health Organization, Center for Disease Control and Prevention

But other flu epidemics are still going on.

One million people died in the 1986 Hong Kong flu. It still occurs every season. Swine flu is a form of the H1N1 virus. In 2009, it infected 29% of the world's population.

Professor Riley says there is a risk of a pandemic outbreak of the flu. From these flus, Jasmine or we can face another epidemic.

We can also get seasonal flu. It still kills thousands of people every year.

HIV / AIDS - an epidemic that is still going on

1971 - Current time

Then, nearly four decades ago, Jasmine's parents became infected with the HIV / AIDS epidemic.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is spread through human body fluids such as blood, saliva, etc. The disease has so far killed 32 million people worldwide.

HIV lowers human immunity

Professor Riley says HIV is "the virus that causes the worst." Because it has been spreading for a long time and the death rate is very high. It spreads very fast because people don't even know they have HIV.

However, improvements in the detection of the disease and increased public awareness have led to changes in human sexual behavior and increased use of safe injections among drug users. This has made it possible to reduce the spread of HIV.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says that in 2019 alone, about 790,000 people worldwide died of AIDS.

Millions have died of HIV / AIDS. Thousands of people still lost their lives in it.

More than 10 crores

1 crore - 10 crore

Less than 10 lakh

Current

The latest calculation from 2019

Source: World Health Organization

Although there is no cure for HIV, if someone lives in a country where the health care system is improved and where antiretroviral drugs are readily available, someone like Jasmine can live a long and healthy life even if infected.

However, in countries where these facilities are not available, they will be at serious risk.

SARS and MARS - coronaviruses that are easily controlled

2002-2003 and 2012 - Current Time

Then, two to three decades later, Jasmine was threatened by the SARS and Mars viruses in her own life.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) is the first coronavirus to take the form of a deadly epidemic. According to the World Health Organization, more than 800 people died between 2002 and 2003.

The SARS coronavirus (SARS-Cove) was first identified in 2003

However, the World Health Organization announced that the epidemic had ended with no new cases being reported by the end of 2003.

Shortly after this, Mars or Middle East Respiratory Syndrome is seen. It is also a type of coronavirus. So far 912 people have died in it. The disease mainly occurs in the countries of the Arabian Peninsula.

But suppose that the risk of Mars-Cove is less in countries like Britain but much higher in Middle Eastern countries. The virus is mainly spread from camels.

More than 600 people have died of SARS so far

More than 10 crores

1 crore - 10 crore

Less than 10 lakh

Total deaths:

613

Source: World Health Organization

Although jasmine is more likely to develop the disease on its own, the risk is much lower in most countries.

Kovid-19: No one has seen the epidemic before

2019 - Current time

Now Jasmine and I have fallen prey to this new type of SARS virus. The virus infects the human respiratory tract with Covid-19.

The SARS-CoV-2 virus is actually a special form of the 2002 SARS virus. Pathologists say it is an epidemic that could not have been predicted. This is because, in many cases, the symptoms do not go away, or they spread to other people before the symptoms go away, and the effects can be devastating - from very little to death.

"That's why we can't control this epidemic," says Professor Riley.

The 2003 SARS virus is related to the SARS-CoV-2 virus

Covid-19 has killed one million people worldwide so far. But that number could rise further in the future.

The new coronavirus has killed more than a million people so far

More than 10 crores

1 crore - 10 crore

Less than 10 lakh

Total deaths:

?

Current deaths:

More than 10 lakh

Source: Johns Hopkins University

Efforts are underway worldwide to discover vaccines and effective treatments. But a large portion of the world's population is still at extreme risk. Jasmine, me, you - none of us are in danger yet.

What happens next?

The latest coronavirus is spreading among us in the wake of a series of global epidemics caused by new viruses and bacteria.

The deadliest epidemics have claimed billions of lives