History’s Most Deadly Pandemics, From the Antonine Plague to COVID-19

Pandemic history resized

(Credit: Visual Capitalist)

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Since humanity’s earliest days, we’ve been stalked by the specter of illness and disease. And as human civilization spread — bringing with it bigger cities, new trade routes and more mingling between different groups of people and animals — so did the likelihood of widespread disease outbreaks.

Long before we had COVID-19, we were dealing with some of these significant pandemics.

Pandemic history

(Credit: Visual Capitalist)

This appeared in the June 2020 issue as “History of Pandemics.” Subscribe to Discover magazine for more coronavirus pandemic coverage.

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Author: showrunner