In honor of Coronavirus, lets review the world’s most lethal plague.

With the death toll ranging from 75 to 200 million people, the Black Death is known to the world as the deadliest pandemic in human history. Not only did it kill a large portion of Europe in 1347 – 1351 (30 – 60%), many religions and economic upheavals stemmed from it. It also changed European history forever.

The disease was mostly carried by flees. Flees tend to latch on to other animals and drink their blood so obviously that caused the disease to eventually spread to humans. The disease started in mainland Asia. Due to the climate at the time being extremely dry for wildlife in Asia many animals decided to migrate west for better food and water sources, taking the disease with them.

The disease traveled via the Silk Road to Europe along with the animals and many Mongolian soldiers. It swept through countries along the way. It was reported at the time that India was empty due to the illness. Syria, Armenia, and Mesopotamia were all covered in bodies (Yikes). It eventually reached Europe and went on to wipe out a 3rd of all Europeans at the time.

Common signs that you were infected include: Buboes, which were essentially tumors that grew to about the size of an apple or orange and then started to ooze pus. following symptoms tend to be extreme fever, gangrene which causes the skin to turn black and fall off, vomiting of blood and other fun things you would expect from a Middle Age plague. It was common for the infected to die within a week of infection.

The Black Plague was unfortunately the worst disease humanity has ever faced. So let’s just be glad we aren’t Europeans in the Middle Ages.