Throughout human existence, there have been major pandemics that changed history and the way we live. Early pandemics have been traced back to 165 A.D., causing a spread of infectious disease across borders affecting millions. The 21st century has experienced two pandemics, the SARS outbreak and presently the coronavirus. COVID-19 has taken the world by storm and deviated any previous presets of human interaction; completely altering the way we have physical interactions.

 

 

Past Pandemics

 

 

Pandemics have been around for centuries as civilizations grew and expanded the risk of diseases also increased. Poor sanitation and nutrition, created ideal environments for diseases to flourish. The Antonine Plague dated back to 165-180 A.D. was one of the earliest known pandemics, which resulted in the death of 5 million people, which was suspected to be a case of smallpox or measles. Plague of Justinian occurred during 541-542 C.E and killed roughly 30-50million people. It was believed to have been caused by rats and fleas and carried over from theMediterranean Sea from Egypt. The most fatal plague however was commonly called TheBlack Death or also known as the Bubonic Plague which occurred in 1347-1351. It was speculated to have been caused by a bacterium that was transmitted to humans through fleas who bite or were in contact with infected rodents. Till this date the Bubonic plague had the largest mortality rate of 200 million people. The outbreak of Cholera paved the way for incredible discoveries in public health. This outbreak occured in the years 1817-1923. It resulted in millions of fatalities in England and was suspected to be caused by bacteria in the air, however John Snow a British doctor was able to figure out that it was caused the drinking water.He did an in depth analysis of all symptoms and reports to create geographic charts and was able to convince the government to remove the water pumps. This created a drastic decrease in the number of cases. His scientific theory and work created a spark in urban sanitation and prevention methods where put in place to stop drinking water from being contaminated. Many developed countries have eradicated Cholera entirely, however it still prevails in developing countries due to lack of resources and immense poverty. The Spanish flu or influenza was another renowned pandemic that occurred during 1918-1919. It had claimed the lives of 50-100million people, and was caused by the H1N1 virus. Now it is known as the common flu and affects millions of people globally, however because of antibiotics and medicines it can easily be treated. Urbanization played a pivotal role in the spread of infectious diseases, and how reliable nations have gotten with one another through import and export. This reliance of nations with one another has allowed for the widespread of infectious diseases. Urbanization played a pivotal role in the spread of infectious diseases, and how reliable nations have gotten with one another through import and export. This reliance of nations with one another has allowed for the widespread of infectious diseases.

 

 

Present Pandemics

 

 

While influenza is still ongoing it has become common as medicine is advanced enough to treat it, however those that do not get vaccinations for it can face serious health problems. SARS is a viral illness of the respiratory attack and had lasted from 2001-2004, originated from Foshan China. Scientists discovered the cause was zoonotic, meaning it was derived from animals and then passed onto humans. Following the SARS outbreak, there was the spread of H1N1 SwineFlu from 2009-2010. The Swine Flu was the second strain of the original H1N1 pandemic after the disease displayed antibiotic resistance. A study conducted by the World Health Organization determined that there could have been roughly 700 million cases, luckily majority of those were asymptomatic and were only mild cases, it was estimated that 18,500 people passed away due to the swine flu. Ebola virus is extremely deadly and causes a severe hemorrhagic fever. The virus sporadically spreads through the body causing damage to the immune system and organs. It originated in West Africa and an exact cause was not determined but scientists believe it was contracted through contact with blood, secretions or other bodily fluids of an infected animal(chimpanzees, gorillas, antelopes). In 2019, the first FDA approved vaccine was introduced that took roughly 5 years to make and had undergone various failed trials. The world is currently undergoing another pandemic known as COVID-19. The first cases were discovered inDecember 2019 and were linked to have come from a wholesale food market in Wuhan China.It had rapidly spread across the globe through commercial travel and trade with other nations. It was estimated to have reached North America late January of 2020. COVID-19 has managed to reach every single continent with the exception of Antarctica. Cases vary and many diagnosed individuals have recovered or been asymptomatic, however every single day the mortality rates are rising. In United Kingdom a new stronger strain of COVID-19 which is much more contagious was brought forth and it was discovered that the new strain has struck Canada as well.

 

 

Future of Pandemics

 

 

The future for pandemics is hard to determine because of factors that could change and influence the way infectious diseases spread. The United Nations have stated that future pandemics will be much deadlier and stronger than COVID-19 and drastically impact the economy. Due to the rising consumption of meat, animal borne diseases are much more likely to occur. The human activities that push forward climate change and loss of biodiversity also aid in the prevalence of pandemics. Unsustainable practices and exploitation of the environment, causes humans to have close contact with wild animals who can be carrying various illnesses. A study done by the United Nation Biodiversity panel estimated that 70% of existing diseases such as Ebola, HIV/AIDS and Zika are all zoonotic, meaning they exist in animals before infecting humans. The amount of resources humans use has drastically exceeded the recommended amount. The United Nations also determined that the cost of preventing pandemics would be a lot cheaper than treating the diseases, which is why an emphasis is being implemented on safe and sustainable use of our environment. Although a vaccine has officially been introduced, doctors state that it can only be effective if 70% of individuals take the vaccine. Many people are afraid and have various conspiracy theories regrading the vaccination have been speculating, creating a large divide amongst the population. Researchers are currently assessing 64 trials of vaccines with 20having made it into their final test stages. The introduction of a vaccination is an indication that there is potential for eradicating or dramatically decreasing the spread of the disease.Pandemics are caused by varying factors and are often unpredictable and can be life-threatening, hence the emphasis on following protocols implemented to ensure your health does not falter.