Introduction
A pandemic is an infectious disease outbreak that affects a significant proportion of the world's population over several months. Epidemics are outbreaks confined to one part of the world, such as a single country. Some infectious diseases spread rapidly. The spread of disease is affected by factors, including the human-to-human transmission of disease and the degree of infectiousness of the disease-causing agent.
What Have Been the World's Deadliest Pandemics?
Major pandemics and epidemics were plagues, cholera, flu, and severe respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SAR-CoV). There have been many deadly pandemics, but the black death and influenza are among the most lethal. The Black Death was likely caused by a plague that caused roughly killing about 25 million people. COVID-19 was declared a pandemic in 2020, killing millions of people.
Past notable pandemics are:
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The Black Death (1346 -1353) - The black death roughly killed about 25 million people worldwide in the 14th century. This outbreak was caused by the bacteria Yersinia pestis.
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Plagues (16th Century) - Smallpox was one of the chief illnesses of the American plagues. The Bubonic plague lasted for about four years.
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The Flu Pandemic (1889 - 1890) - The new transportation routes made influenza viruses easier to spread widely in the U.S. and beyond. The virus spread rapidly. The earliest cases were reported in Russia.
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The Spanish Flu (1918 - 1920) - Another massive outbreak was an influenza pandemic called the Spanish flu. This pandemic began in 1918, following world war I. More than 50 million deaths were recorded.
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Asian Flu (1957 - 1958) - It began in China. Rapidly spreading cases were reported in Singapore and Hong Kong. The earth was more than 1.1 million worldwide, with around 116,000 deaths nationally.
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AIDS Pandemic and Epidemic - Since its first identification, AIDS has claimed an estimated 35 million lives. The virus is likely to have evolved from chimpanzees that were transferred to humans in West Africa in the 1920s. This disease had no cure, but medication was discovered in the 1990s, allowing people with AIDS to experience a normal life span with regular treatment.
What Are the Causes of the Pandemic?
Different factors cause pandemics. Animals cause the majority of infectious diseases that occur in humans.
Other causes are:
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Environmental factors like food, air quality, water supply, and sanitation facilities can affect the spread of infections.
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Natural disasters like earthquakes, floods, storms, and droughts lead to a high risk of disease transmission.
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Exposure to chemicals or any radioactive materials. For example, Minamata disease occurred after mercury exposure.
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Changes in weather conditions can lead to infections like whooping cough, measles, etc.
The origin of the disease can also be unknown. These kinds of diseases could be caused by a variety of different facts that include:
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New or natural toxin.
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New pathogen.
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Undetected chemical release.
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Unknown radiation exposure.
What Are the Precautionary Measures That Can Be Taken During Pandemic?
One needs to take preventive care against infection. Apart from vaccinations, some other measures can be followed:
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Regular and frequent washing of hands with soap and water.
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Make use of sanitizer.
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Avoid touching the mouth or nose with unwashed hands.
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Avoid visiting crowded places.
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Disinfect your house regularly.
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Practice social distancing.
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Cover the mouth and nose while sneezing or coughing.
What is Pandemic Preparation?
WHO has organized a preparedness plan that consists of six phases as follows:
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Phase 1 - Phase 1 is the lowest level of pandemic alert. The risk of transmission to humans is low.
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Phase 2 - Phase 2 indicated that the virus has pandemic potential. The isolated incidences of animal-to-human transmission of the virus are observed.
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Phase 3 - Phase 3 indicated small outbreaks of disease which resulted from multiple cases of animal-to-human transmission through the limited capacity for human-to-human transmission might be present.
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Phase 4 - Phase 4 indicated confirmed human-to-human viral transmission that caused human disease. Implementing control methods to prevent further viral spread is emphasized in other parts of the world.
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Phase 5 - Phase 5 is marked by human-to-human transmission in two countries, indicating that a pandemic is imminent.
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Phase 6 - Phase 6 is characterized by widespread transmission in humans.
What Are the Ways to Prevent Pandemic?
The different ways to prevent a pandemic are:
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Reduce Deforestation - Every year, two new animal-borne viruses emerge from nature.
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Increase Early Virus Detection - The key to preventing disease is to invest in research programs to detect the spread of the disease and its source as soon as it arises.
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Limiting the Global Wildlife Trade - The wild animal trade puts species in contact with other species, which results in the transmission of diseases. The first step to prevent this is banning the national and international trade of species with a high risk of spreading diseases.
Conclusion
Pandemics can cause sudden, widespread mortality and morbidity along with social, economic, and political disruption. Preparing for a pandemic is challenging because changes influence multiple factors and occurrences in the natural environment.
