World’s Worst Pandemics: Five years ago, i.e. in 2020, an epidemic named Corona had brought the entire world to its knees. Lakhs of people died in this epidemic. Covid-19 originated from Wuhan city of China, which gradually took the whole world under its control. During that time lockdown was imposed everywhere. Even the names and traces of humans had almost disappeared from the streets. After that, now in the beginning of the year 2025, a new virus has started from China itself, which is being called HMVP. Although this has not caused any serious problem yet, it cannot be taken lightly either. Two cases of this have also been reported in India, regarding which guidelines have already been issued.
Today we are going to tell you about one such dangerous epidemic of the world, which is said to be one of the most notorious epidemics in human history. It is known as Black Death. According to the report of University of Idaho, it caused massive devastation in Europe, Asia and Africa in the 14th century. This medieval plague killed an estimated 75 million (75 million) to approximately 200 million (200 million) people. The epidemic is believed to have originated in Asia and was spread by fleas that were traveling to Europe on ships carrying rats and other animals.
Black Death begins in Europe
The Black Death arrived in Europe in October 1347, when 12 ships from the Black Sea arrived at the port of Messina in Sicily. The sight there was horrific: most of the sailors on board the ships were either dead or seriously ill, their bodies covered in black boils that were oozing blood and pus. Local officials immediately ordered the ships to leave the port, but it was too late. The plague had already begun its deadly journey in Europe.
More than a third of Europe’s population was killed
Over the next five years, the plague wiped out more than a third of Europe’s population. By the 1340s, the plague had wreaked havoc in China, India, Persia, Syria, and Egypt. The devastation of the Black Death was not limited to Europe only. Trade routes connecting Asia, Africa and Europe helped the rapid spread of the plague. A bacteria called Yersinia pestis was responsible for this plague.
Disease spread through the Silk Road and maritime trade routes
Historians believe that the disease spread through the Silk Road and maritime trade routes. From Asia it spread to the trading centers of the Middle East, badly affecting cities like Damascus and Cairo. In Europe, the plague spread rapidly from coastal areas to the interior, where dense population and poor sanitation further accelerated its spread. Even remote areas like Greenland and North Africa were affected by the Black Death, which indicates the interconnectedness of the world at that time.
symptoms of black death
The symptoms of the Black Death were horrific and painful. Bubonic plague, the most common type, attacked the lymphatic system, causing swellings in the body called “buboes”. These swellings usually occur in the groin, armpit, or neck, and may be apple or egg-shaped. These boils were accompanied by other serious symptoms: high fever, shivering, headache, muscle pain, and vomiting. As the infection progressed, many patients suffered seizures and their skin began to rot, leaving dark spots. The mortality rate of bubonic plague was very high.
Also read: China HMPV Virus: HMPV virus is spreading from China to Malaysia-Hong Kong, know about the new threat looming on the world.