A Look Back at History's Most Severe Pandemics

The Black Death (1347-1351)

This bubonic plague pandemic is one of the most devastating in history, wiping out an estimated 75-200 million people in Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Spanish Flu (1918-1919)

Caused by an H1N1 influenza virus, the Spanish Flu infected about one-third of the global population and resulted in 50-100 million deaths worldwide.

HIV/AIDS Pandemic (1980s-present)

HIV/AIDS has claimed over 36 million lives globally since the 1980s and continues to be a significant public health challenge.

Asian Flu (1957-1958)

This influenza pandemic, caused by an H2N2 virus, led to an estimated 1-2 million deaths worldwide.

Hong Kong Flu (1968-1969)

Another influenza pandemic, caused by an H3N2 virus, resulted in approximately 1-4 million deaths globally.

COVID-19 Pandemic (2019-present)

Caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in millions of deaths worldwide and has had a profound impact on global health, economies, and societies.