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This is a list of the largest known epidemics and pandemics caused by an infectious disease in humans. Widespread non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer are not included.
Jul 2, 2021 · Five charts, from Covid-19 cases and deaths to vaccinations and vaccination rates across the United States, that tell the story of the current state of the pandemic.
- Elliott Ramos
- Overview
- 1633-1634: Smallpox from European settlers
- 1793: Yellow fever from the Caribbean
- 1832-1866: Cholera in three waves
- 1858: Scarlet fever also came in waves
- 1906-1907: “Typhoid Mary”
- 1918: H1N1 flu
- 1921-1925: Diphtheria epidemic
- 1916-1955: The peak of polio
- 1957: H2N2 flu
The U.S. has experienced many outbreaks over the last few centuries. These includes three waves of cholera and the 2020 spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
An epidemic is defined by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as a sudden increase in the number of cases of an infectious disease within a community or geographic area during a specific time period.
A spike in the number of cases of the same illness in an area beyond what health officials expect to see is an outbreak. The terms may be used interchangeably, though epidemics are often considered more widespread.
Over the years, many outbreaks of infectious diseases have occurred and spread across the United States.
Smallpox came to North America in the 1600s. Symptoms included high fever, chills, severe back pain, and rashes. It began in the Northeast and the Native American population was ravaged by it as it spread to the west.
In 1721, more than 6,000 cases were reported out of a Boston population of 11,000. Around 850 people died from the disease.
In 1770, Edward Jenner developed a vaccine from cow pox. It helps the body become immune to smallpox without causing the disease.
Now: After a large vaccination initiative in 1972, smallpox is gone from the United States. In fact, vaccines are no longer necessary.
One humid summer, refugees fleeing a yellow fever epidemic in the Caribbean Islands sailed into Philadelphia, carrying the virus with them.
Yellow fever causes yellowing of the skin, fever, and bloody vomiting. During the 1793 outbreak, it’s estimated that the 10 percent of the city’s population died and many others fled the city to avoid it.
A vaccine was developed and then licensed in 1953. One vaccine is enough for life. It’s mostly recommended for those 9 months and older, especially if you live or travel to high risk areas.
You can find a list of countries where the vaccine is recommended for travel on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website.
Now: Mosquitoes are key to how this disease spreads, particularly in areas such as Central America, South America, and Africa. Eliminating mosquitoes has been successful in controlling yellow fever.
While yellow fever has no cure, someone who does recover from the illness becomes immune for the rest of their life.
The United States had three serious waves of cholera, an infection of the intestines, between 1832 and 1866. The pandemic began in India and swiftly spread across the globe through trade routes.
New York City was the first U.S. city to feel the impact. Between 5 and 10 percent of the total population died in large cities.
It’s unclear what ended the pandemic, but it may have been the change in climate or the use of quarantine measures. By the early 1900s, outbreaks had ended.
Immediate treatment is crucial because cholera can cause death. Treatment includes antibiotics, zinc supplementation, and rehydration.
Now: Cholera still causes nearly 95,000 deaths a year worldwide, according to the CDC. Modern sewage and water treatment have helped eradicate cholera in some countries, but the virus is still present elsewhere.
You can get a vaccine for cholera if you’re planning to travel to high risk areas. The best way to prevent cholera is to wash your hands regularly with soap and water and avoid drinking contaminated water.
Scarlet fever is a bacterial infection that can occur after strep throat. Like cholera, scarlet fever epidemics came in waves.
Scarlet fever most commonly affects children ages 5 to 15. It’s rare in children under 3. Adults who are in contact with sick children have an increased risk.
Older studies argue that scarlet fever declined due to improved nutrition, but research shows that improvements in public health were more likely the cause.
Now: There’s no vaccine to prevent strep throat or scarlet fever. It’s important for those with strep throat symptoms to seek treatment quickly. Your doctor will typically treat scarlet fever with antibiotics.
One of the biggest typhoid fever epidemics of all time broke out between 1906 and 1907 in New York.
Mary Mallon, often referred to as “Typhoid Mary,” spread the bacterial infection to about 122 New Yorkers during her time as a cook on an estate and in a hospital unit.
About 5 of the 122 New Yorkers who contracted the illness from Mary Mallon died. The CDC cites a total of 13,160 deaths in 1906 and 12,670 deaths in 1907.
Medical testing showed that Mallon was a healthy carrier for typhoid fever. Typhoid fever can cause sickness and red spots to form on the chest and abdomen.
A vaccine was developed in 1911, and an antibiotic treatment for typhoid fever became available in 1948.
Now: Today typhoid fever is rare. But it can spread through direct contact with people who have the virus, as well as consumption of contaminated food or water.
H1N1 is a strain of flu that still circulates the globe annually.
In 1918, it was the type of flu behind the influenza pandemic, sometimes called the Spanish flu (though it didn’t actually from come Spain).
After World War I, cases of the flu slowly declined. None of the suggestions provided at the time (wearing masks, drinking coal oil) were effective cures. Today’s treatments include bed rest, fluids, and antiviral medications.
Now: Influenza strains mutate every year, making last year’s vaccinations less effective. It’s important to get your yearly vaccination to decrease your risk for the flu.
Diphtheria peaked in 1921, with 206,000 cases. It causes swelling of the mucous membranes, including in your throat, that can obstruct breathing and swallowing.
Sometimes a bacterial toxin can enter the bloodstream and cause fatal heart and nerve damage.
By the mid-1920s, researchers licensed a vaccine against the bacterial disease. Infection rates plummeted in the United States.
Now: Today more than 80 percent of children in the United States are vaccinated, according to the CDC. Those who contract the disease are treated with antibiotics.
Polio is a viral disease that affects the nervous system, causing paralysis. It spreads through direct contact with people who have the infection.
Outbreaks occurred regularly in the United States through the 1950s, with two major polio outbreaks in 1916 and in 1952. Of the 57,628 reported cases in 1952, there were 3,145 deaths.
In 1955, Dr. Jonas Salk’s vaccine was approved. It was quickly adopted throughout the world. By 1962, the average number of cases dropped to 910. The CDC reports that the United States has been polio-free since 1979.
Now: Getting vaccinated is very important before traveling. There’s no cure for polio. Treatment involves increasing comfort levels and preventing complications.
A major flu outbreak occurred again in 1957. The H2N2 virus, which originated in birds, was first reported in Singapore in February 1957, then in Hong Kong in April 1957.
It appeared in coastal cities in the United States in the summer of 1957.
The estimated number of deaths was 1.1 million worldwide and 116,000 in the United States.
This pandemic is considered to be mild because it was caught early. Scientists were able to develop a vaccine based on the knowledge from creating the first flu vaccine in 1942.
Dec 9, 2021 · The New York Times. The current uptick is being driven by the Delta variant. It is not yet known how the Omicron variant, which continues to emerge in more states, might affect those trends in...
Feb 26, 2024 · The latest numbers mark the sixth consecutive weekly decrease and come after a stretch that saw the U.S. hit nearly 35,000 new hospitalizations during the week ending Jan. 6 – its highest weekly...
Statistics of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Main article: COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Weekly confirmed COVID-19 deaths. Map of cumulative COVID-19 death rates by US state. [1] The CDC publishes official numbers of COVID-19 cases in the United States.
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