PANDEMICS IN THE HISTORY

Throughout history, the world has gone through countless deadly and infectious diseases. The most catastrophic ones were the worldwide pandemics that went on for years, and decades. They’ve taken so many lives and left the ones behind with a burden. The major pandemics and epidemics like Plague, Cholera, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome SARS-COV, and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome MARS-COV have all come and gone.

Plague :

The bacteria Yersinia pastes cause the disease Plague, also known as Black Death. It can spread in various ways: touching, not direct contact, air, food, water, bugs, and animals.

Symptoms start one week after catching the bacteria. They may include fever, headache, and weakness. There are three types of plague that affect different parts of the body. They call one type of plague pneumatic plague. It makes it difficult to breathe, cough, and causes chest pain. The second is bubonic plague, which affects the lymph nodes in the throat and causes them to swell. The third is septicemic plague, which infects the blood and causes tissue damage.

The bacteriologist developed the first vaccine for plague in 1897.

Valdemar Hoffine and from that date to 1925, rates of the disease were 50–85% reduced.

Today, plague disease still exists, but doctors can treat it with antibiotics. But, only those who lived in the past would know what a nightmare it has been when there was no cure.

Cholera :

Cholera is a contagious disease caused by Vibrio cholera bacteria. It affects the small intestine and can have no, mild, or severe symptoms based on the person’s health. The symptoms begin 2 hours to 5 days after infection. They cause diarrhea, vomiting, and muscle cramps. Severe dehydration can occur and lead to skin issues such as wrinkles, sunken eyes, and cold skin.

We know of 7 Cholera pandemics that have occurred throughout history. The outbreak in 1961 continues to impact many people yearly, resulting in many deaths.

To prepare for cholera, the World Health Organization recommends having a strong government surveillance system.

Vaccination is also considered as effective. Cholera vaccines taken by mouth can prevent Cholera and a type of diarrhea caused by E. coli for 6 months. Cholera treatment involves taking antibiotics and eating foods high in sodium. It’s important to drink plenty of fluids.

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Influenza

Influenza is a infectious disease caused by influenza viruses. Also known as the flu, the disease has many variations and it’s very common. You might notice symptoms within 1 to 4 days of getting infected. The symptoms often include fever, sore throat, coughing, muscle pain, headache, and fatigue. Children might also experience diarrhea and vomiting.

Birds are the source of virus A, which impacts both mammals and humans. Viruses B and C affect humans, and we can find virus D in farm animals.

These days, you can often treat the flu yourself, but some high-risk groups may need medicine. Every year, about 5–15% of people worldwide get the flu. Some groups are more at risk, like children, older people, and those with chronic illnesses. There are 3–5 million severe cases.

SARS-COV EPIDEMIC:

SARS-CoV-1 is a respiratory disease caused by a virus that comes from bats. The symptoms of the syndrome are fever, sore throat, and cough, weariness, and muscle pain. It can also cause breathing difficulties and pneumonia.

Wearing face masks is the top way to prevent the virus. It reduces infection risk by 80% by blocking respiratory droplets in the air. To stop the disease from spreading, make sure you wash your hands and keep clean. Stay away from body fluids and avoid being near sick people.

SARS disease started in November 2002. It caused the 2002–2004 outbreak of SARS.

In June 2003, the end of the epidemic, the total case number was 8,469 with the fatality rate of 11%. The worldwide epidemic SARS-COV-1 ended in 2004, and there have been no reported cases since.

A new virus called SARS-CoV-2 appeared in December 2019. SARS-COV 1 is relates to the COVID-19 pandemic and it caused it.

COVID — 19

The coronavirus disease 2019 was first seen in China. In December 2019, researchers discovered it in a city called Wuhan. Being contagious, the disease took over and caused the pandemic of COVID — 19. After getting infected, the virus becomes contagious in 1–4 days and the disease develops in 4–5 days. Once infected, the patient might have a cough, fever, trouble breathing, tiredness, and loss of smell and taste. This usually happens within 2 to 7 days. Some patients may not show any signs or symptoms. In hence, some individuals who get the virus may not get sick at all, but they may carry it and infect others.

This was the hardest part in the beginning of the pandemic; it was impossible to tell if we had the diseases or not. The fear and risks of the disease caused chaos worldwide. Almost everything shut down.

It was nothing like humankind has experienced over many years. For a long time, even the newest medical technology couldn’t find a treatment or a way to prevent it. People around the world have started taking precautions with the help of media and health organizations. At first, it took time for people to realize the seriousness. , we all learned and began to practice sanitation, wear masks, and keep our distance. The hardest part for many of them was, the isolation process.

As time passes by, the infection rates have slowed down with the emergence of vaccination. It wasn’t until mid-2022 that we weren’t able to take off the facemasks anywhere we went. Getting back to our normal lives was a long and consuming progress. Since the virus is still around and there’s still a chance of catching it, we should stay cautious, even if there aren’t any cases nearby. It’s best that we keep ourselves safe and sound until it is gone for Sure

HOW TO FIX THE WORLD

It all comes to this in the end. Everyone’s asking about it.

How do we fix a world that is so corrupted, divided, and in pain and agony? The answer lies within the question. How do we fix it? If it wasn’t possible to fix it, we couldn’t have asked that question. It was once fine. It was one; pure and whole. What ruined it is us. Humankind. We’ve corrupted it; only we can fix it. By start with ourselves.

A generation; educated and guided rightfully. Bright, joyous; conscientious, loyal. The rest is up to the world.