5 Deadliest Epidemics and Pandemics of All Time

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently reported the lowest weekly total of new cases for Ebola epidemic in West Africa this year, a huge improvement from their previous data.

However, the organisation warned the public not to be too complacent until all infections from the ‘highly contagious’ virus have been eliminated.

May 6 this year, the WHO recorded 18 confirmed Ebola cases in West Africa 9 from Sierra Leone and the other 9 at Guinea for the week. The Ebola epidemic started more than a year ago and has a total recorded 11,005 deaths as of May 6.

Now why is this number concerning? Because as mothers, our family’s health and well-being is a top priority. Anything that goes against that even pandemics and epidemics we make it our job to know.

Epidemics are infectious diseases that spread rapidly to too many people in a particular community or country. An example of that is the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). The epidemic has a death toll of 800 deaths.

A Pandemic, on the other hand, is a widespread, global disease outbreak. A well-known example of that is the HIV/AIDS, considered as one of the most devastating pandemic worldwide which we are still fighting against.

Since we mums need to know about these diseases today, we’re giving you some helpful information about the 5 deadliest epidemics and pandemics of all time.

Clare Whitfield Chief Editor

Clare Whitfield is the Editor of Stay at Home Mum and a recognised voice in practical home management for Australian families. Based in the northern suburbs of Sydney, she balances editorial leadership with life as a stay at home mum to two school age children. Her background in home economics and more than a decade of experience in recipe development, family budgeting, and household systems inform her work.

See Full Bio