How COVID-19 compares to past pandemics
Correction: The graph and previous version of the article state that the Swine Flu of 2009 caused 151 million deaths, when there were actually 151,700-575,400 death according to the CDC. The Volante regrets this error.
COVID-19 first appeared in Wuhan, China in December of 2019. Since then, the disease has spread to more than 600,000 people worldwide and caused over 30,000 deaths, as measured by the World Health Organization. COVID-19 has been detected in over 200 countries and territories.
As this global pandemic continues its impact on the planet, humanity has witnessed some unprecedented actions in response to the virus. For the first time ever, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) canceled its Division I basketball tournaments for both men and women. Other major sporting events have been shut down as well. Major music events, such as Coachella, South by Southwest and the Stagecoach Festival have all been postponed or canceled as well.
The Center for Disease and Control has listed guidelines for how to protect yourself from COVID-19 whether you’re at home or on a college campus. People are encouraged to stay at home if they’re sick, clean surfaces that are frequently touched and avoid close contact with others.
But the idea of social distancing didn’t start with the coronavirus. According to Forbes, social distancing and other protective measures helped decrease mortality rates by as much as 50% in the cities that employed these tactics during the Spanish Flu.
As this pandemic grows, it draws comparison to past pandemics.
While some protective tactics that worked against past pandemics are being used to combat COVID-19, this virus, so far, has not impacted as many people as some past pandemics, based on the CDC’s data.
Most past pandemics have caused more harm than COVID-19 based on the CDC’s data and only time will tell how much more damage the coronavirus can cause.
Diseases:
Coronavirus:
693,224 confirmed cases
33,106 deaths
202 countries, areas or territories with the case
28,652 global cases, with 11 cases in the US
11,325 global deaths, with 2 deaths in the US
10 countries recorded cases
1918 Flu pandemic aka the Spanish Flu
500 million estimated world cases
50 million estimated world deaths, with 675,000 deaths in the United States
Cause: H1N1 Virus
60.8 million estimated US cases
12,000 deaths estimated in the US
151700-575,400 estimated world deaths
