Portuguese 
English 
Spanish 
3 min of reading 
0 comments 
From The Rise In Asia To The Devastation In Europe, The Black Death Killed Millions, Caused Global Panic And Has Not Been Fully Eradicated
The Black Death was one of the greatest sanitary tragedies ever recorded. Originating in Asia, it caused a number of deaths that, according to estimates, may have ranged between 75 and 200 million people. The epidemic spread violently, affecting much of the known world at the time.
Black Death: How It All Began
The bacterium responsible for the disease is Yersinia pestis. Its origin is linked to China or Central Asia, where the bacterium circulated along the Silk Road.
Transmission began through infected fleas that parasitized rats — animals common and numerous in the holds of ships at the time.
-
Friends have been building a small “town” for 30 years to grow old together, with compact houses, a common area, nature surrounding it, and a collective life project designed for friendship, coexistence, and simplicity.
-
This small town in Germany created its own currency 24 years ago, today it circulates millions per year, is accepted in over 300 stores, and the German government allowed all of this to happen under one condition.
-
Curitiba is shrinking and is expected to lose 97,000 residents by 2050, while inland cities in Paraná such as Sarandi, Araucária, and Toledo are experiencing accelerated growth that is changing the entire state’s map.
-
Tourists were poisoned on Everest in a million-dollar fraud scheme involving helicopters that diverted over $19 million and shocked international authorities.
When these vessels docked in the Mediterranean, the rats brought the plague to European ports.
Initially, the disease was confined to coastal regions. But, when it began to be transmitted through the air, the speed of contagion became overwhelming.
At the height of the pandemic, there was widespread fear that there were not enough living people to bury the dead.
Symptoms And Devastating Effects
The signs of the Black Death included high fever, vomiting, nausea, coughing up blood, chills, convulsions, and headaches.
Fatigue was extreme. The disease advanced rapidly, and many patients died shortly after the first symptoms appeared.
Without scientific explanations, the population of the Middle Ages resorted to beliefs and rumors to justify the horror they lived through.
Theories involved planetary alignments, water poisoning by minority groups, or even unfounded accusations against beggars and gypsies.
Quarantine And Isolation
The main measure to contain the disease was the implementation of quarantines. Healthy people were confined to their homes, going out only when necessary.
Those with more financial resources moved to remote areas.
This separation helped reduce contagion. The population also began to adopt new personal hygiene habits.
Instead of burying the dead — a practice that facilitated contact with the transmitting agent — the bodies began to be cremated.
Lack Of Sanitation Aggravated Everything
In the Middle Ages, cities had no sanitation. The streets were dirty and filled with human waste, even in the water used for consumption. This created a perfect environment for the proliferation of the bacterium.
Only with urban cleaning, water treatment, and city organization was it possible to interrupt the transmission chain of the plague.
Black Death: Long-Term Consequences
Even with the decrease in cases, recovery was slow. Europe took more than two centuries to return to the population numbers prior to the pandemic. But the loss was greater than just demographic.
During this period, society suffered deep losses in culture, economy, art, and labor.
Cases Are Still Reported
Despite seeming like a disease of the past, the Black Death has not been completely eradicated. According to the World Health Organization, between 2010 and 2015, there were 3,248 confirmed cases worldwide, with 584 deaths.
Currently, medicine allows for more effective treatment of the disease. Nevertheless, there is still a risk of contagion.
Where The Plague Still Circulates
Today, the plague can be found on every continent except Oceania. The regions with the most recent cases are Africa, Asia, and South America.
Since the 1990s, the two countries with the most cases are the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Peru.
The threat still exists, albeit on a reduced scale, and requires constant vigilance.
With information from Adventures in History.
-
-
2 pessoas reagiram a isso.