It should be noted that the current COVID-19 pandemic, which is far from over, has to date produced 768,983,095 cases with 6,953,743 deaths and is still producing 352,943 new cases every week (WHO figures as at 2 August, 2023) This despite the fact that 13,492,099,754 (13.5 billion) vaccine doses have been administered.
Given the high mortality rate of in the early months of the pandemic, imagine what the death toll would have been without the assistance of science! Earlier pandemics had no such benefits so direct comparisons are meaningless.
A survey published in The Lancet in June 2022 estimated that about 20 million deaths from COVID-19 had been prevented in the first year following COVID-19 vaccination, so human medical science has deprived the malevolent designer of an even more stunning success with its SARS-CoV-2 virus. If it had occurred a century earlier, it would have ranked about 2 or 3 in the pandemic deaths league table - up there with the 1918-1919 influenza pandemic.
Now for the top 5 pandemics:
Way out in the lead we have the Black Death or Bubonic plague, with 72-200 million deaths.
Please note that my knowledge is based on information available up to September 2021. These references provide more detailed information about each pandemic and their impacts. Additionally, there have been other significant pandemics throughout history, but these five are among the deadliest. [ChatGPT3]
- Black Death (Bubonic Plague, 1347-1351):
The Black Death, caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, is one of the most infamous pandemics in history. It swept through Europe, Asia, and Africa, resulting in the deaths of an estimated 75-200 million people. The pandemic led to significant social, economic, and political upheaval during the 14th century. Reference: "Black Death" - History.com (https://www.history.com/topics/middle-ages/black-death)
Black Death (Bubonic Plague, 1347-1351)
Bettmann Archive/Getty Images
Here is how I described it in my popular, illustrated book, The Malevolent Designer: Why Nature's God is not Good
Y. pestis produces three forms of plague depending on how it is transmitted. Those caused by flea bites are bubonic and septicaemic plague. The former is characterised by swollen lymph nodes or ‘buboes’ in the armpits and groin; the latter by the body turning black due to destruction of red blood cells and subcutaneous haemorrhages. Both can be rapidly fatal. An airborne form – pneumonic – is also fatal and can be spread in respiratory aerosols by people infected with either of the other two forms.
The Black Death is estimated to have killed between 75 million and 200 million people in Europe and North Africa, causing profound religious, social and economic changes. It is believed to have originated in Central or East Asia and been carried along the developing Silk Route which had been made possible by the stability imposed by the Mongolian Empire of Genghis Khan a century earlier, reaching Crimea on the Black Sea coast by 1341. It was then spread throughout the Mediterranean basin by fleas and black rats on Genoese trade ships. Human cultural and economic development had created an environment in which rats, fleas and Y. pestis thrived. The Black Death plague is believed to have killed 30%-60% of the world population…
It is difficult to think of any single insect/bacterial combination that has had such a profound effect on humanity. At the time, many religious people interpreted the Black Death as God’s punishment for some assumed transgression – not unlike modern Creationists who can always point the finger at something they don’t like, such as same-sex marriage, legalised abortion or votes for women and declare that God shares their displeasure.
The fact that Y. pestis killed the pious and impious alike and in equal measure, simply indicated that either God’s displeasure was with humanity overall, that the pious were doing it wrong, or that God’s mind is unknowable and he ‘works in mysterious ways’. The perception that the Catholic Church had become corrupt and debauched and so ‘caused’ the plague, may have facilitated the acceptance of radical change such as that which led to the Protestant Reformation.
Coming in a respectable second with 50 million deaths worldwide, we have the 1918-1919 'Spanish Lady Flu.
The Black Death is estimated to have killed between 75 million and 200 million people in Europe and North Africa, causing profound religious, social and economic changes. It is believed to have originated in Central or East Asia and been carried along the developing Silk Route which had been made possible by the stability imposed by the Mongolian Empire of Genghis Khan a century earlier, reaching Crimea on the Black Sea coast by 1341. It was then spread throughout the Mediterranean basin by fleas and black rats on Genoese trade ships. Human cultural and economic development had created an environment in which rats, fleas and Y. pestis thrived. The Black Death plague is believed to have killed 30%-60% of the world population…
It is difficult to think of any single insect/bacterial combination that has had such a profound effect on humanity. At the time, many religious people interpreted the Black Death as God’s punishment for some assumed transgression – not unlike modern Creationists who can always point the finger at something they don’t like, such as same-sex marriage, legalised abortion or votes for women and declare that God shares their displeasure.
The fact that Y. pestis killed the pious and impious alike and in equal measure, simply indicated that either God’s displeasure was with humanity overall, that the pious were doing it wrong, or that God’s mind is unknowable and he ‘works in mysterious ways’. The perception that the Catholic Church had become corrupt and debauched and so ‘caused’ the plague, may have facilitated the acceptance of radical change such as that which led to the Protestant Reformation.
- Spanish Flu (H1N1 Influenza, 1918-1919):
The Spanish Flu was caused by the H1N1 influenza virus and is considered one of the deadliest pandemics in modern history. It infected an estimated one-third of the global population and caused the deaths of approximately 50 million people worldwide. The pandemic had a significant impact on healthcare systems and economies. Reference: "1918 Influenza Pandemic" - CDC (https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-resources/1918-pandemic-h1n1.html)
1918 H1N1 Influenza, or 'Spanish Lady' Flu.
The 1918 influenza pandemic was the most severe pandemic in recent history. It was caused by an H1N1 virus with genes of avian origin. Although there is not universal consensus regarding where the virus originated, it spread worldwide during 1918-1919. It is misnamed because it probably started in America on a military base and was then shipped to Europe by US soldiers, where it spread rapidly amongst military personnel. Further spread was helped by demobilisation at the end of WWI. By the end of 1919 about one third of the world’s population had probably been infected.
Mortality was high in people younger than 5 years old, 20-40 years old, and 65 years and older. The high mortality in healthy people, including those in the 20–40-year age group, was a unique feature of this pandemic. While the 1918 H1N1 virus has been synthesized and evaluated, the properties that made it so devastating are not well understood. With no vaccine to protect against influenza infection and no antibiotics to treat secondary bacterial infections that can be associated with influenza infections, control efforts worldwide were limited to non-pharmaceutical interventions such as isolation, quarantine, good personal hygiene, use of disinfectants, and limitations of public gatherings, which were applied unevenly.
H1N1 bird flu still has the potential to cause another similar pandemic.At number 3 we have HIV/AIDS in which the Human Immunosuppressive Virus cause Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome in which untreated victims succumb to opportunist infections, rare cancers, etc. Although far from over, antiretroviral drugs have massively reduced mortality and infectivity, but still a very creditable 32 million plus deaths worldwide.
- HIV/AIDS Pandemic (1981-Present):
The HIV/AIDS pandemic is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Since its identification in the early 1980s, HIV/AIDS has resulted in more than 32 million deaths globally. While antiretroviral therapy has significantly improved treatment outcomes, HIV/AIDS remains a global health challenge. Reference: "HIV/AIDS" - World Health Organization (WHO) (https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hiv-aids)
HIV/AIDS Pandemic (1981- present)
Key facts
Coming in fourth with a very creditable 1-4 million deaths, we have another influenza virus - H2N2 with its 1957-1958 'Asian Flu' pandemic.
- HIV remains a major global public health issue, having claimed 40.4 million [32.9–51.3 million] lives so far with ongoing transmission in all countries globally; with some countries reporting increasing trends in new infections when previously on the decline.
- There were an estimated 39.0 million [33.1–45.7 million] people living with HIV at the end of 2022, two thirds of whom (25.6 million) are in the WHO African Region. In 2022, 630 000 [480 000–880 000] people died from HIV-related causes and 1.3 million [1.0–1.7 million] people acquired HIV.
- There is no cure for HIV infection. However, with access to effective HIV prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care, including for opportunistic infections, HIV infection has become a manageable chronic health condition, enabling people living with HIV to lead long and healthy lives.
- WHO, the Global Fund and UNAIDS all have global HIV strategies that are aligned with the SDG target 3.3 of ending the HIV epidemic by 2030.
- By 2025, 95% of all people living with HIV (PLHIV) should have a diagnosis, 95% of those should be taking lifesaving antiretroviral treatment (ART) and 95% of PLHIV on treatment should achieve a suppressed viral load for the benefit of the person’s health and for reducing onward HIV transmission. In 2022, these percentages were 86(%) [73–>98%], 89(%) 75–>98%] and 93(%) [79–>98%], respectively.
- When considering all people living with HIV, 86% [73>–98%] knew their status, 76% [65–89%] were receiving antiretroviral therapy and 71% [60–83%] had suppressed viral loads.
- Asian Flu (H2N2 Influenza, 1957-1958):
The Asian Flu was caused by the H2N2 influenza virus and emerged in East Asia before spreading globally. It resulted in an estimated 1-2 million deaths worldwide. The pandemic prompted the development of the annual influenza vaccination and highlighted the need for global surveillance and response to emerging infectious diseases. Reference: "Wikipedia 1957–1958 influenza pandemic"
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1957%E2%80%931958_influenza_pandemic)
Asian Flu
(H2N2 Influenza, 1957-1958)
(H2N2 Influenza, 1957-1958)
168 sick patients with Asian flu in a sports arena in Luleå, Sweden (1957).
I remember this pandemic with some fondness because, despite feeling ill for a few days, it meant my four sisters and I got two weeks off school, and I could stay in bed and read for a whole week! As an 11-year-old I discovered science in general and nature in particular and read and re-read anything and everything I could lay my hands on. How our poor parents coped is a mystery as they wouldn't have escaped it, but there were 5 sick children aged between 3 and 16 to be cared for.
In earlier times we would have been lucky to survive but it 1948 Post-war Britain had introduces a National Health Service and a welfare program that included free meals and milk at school, free orange juice and 'cod-liver oil' as a vitamin substitute, which grew us straight and strong. Part of the welfare provision, funded by a special standard rate 'National Insurance' tax on earned income, was the payment of benefits to those off work through sickness. It has been estimated that the 1957-1958 outbreak cost the Social Security fund £10,000,000.
Nevertheless, creationism divine malevolence still managed a very creditable 33,000 deaths in the UK.
Other countries weren't so fortunate. Lattin American countries were the hardest hit, but high mortality rates were reported in the USA (70,000 and up to 116,000, if figures up to 1960 are included), and Germany, rebuilding fast with the Marshall Plan recorded 30,000 deaths. Of course, these figures are small beer compared to those seen in the 1918-1919 pandemic and the current COVID-19 pandemic, but nevertheless, creationism divine malevolence managed to make life shorter for 1-4 million people and increased the suffering and misery in the world, especially for the friends and relatives of its victims. And bringing up the rear at number five, we have the Third Cholera Pandemic of 1846-1860, caused this time by a bacterium, , Vibrio cholerae, specially fitted with Michael J Behe's 'irreducible complex' therefore 'intelligently [sic] designed' flagellum.
- Third Cholera Pandemic (1846-1860):
The Third Cholera Pandemic, caused by the Vibrio cholerae bacterium, originated in India and spread to Europe, Africa, and North America. It resulted in significant morbidity and mortality, with millions of deaths reported. This pandemic spurred improvements in sanitation and public health measures. Reference: "Wikipedia - 1846–1860 cholera pandemic"
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1846%E2%80%931860_cholera_pandemic)
Third Cholera Pandemic (1846-1860)
"It is cholera to blame" (Pavel Andreyevich Fedotov, 1815-1852)
The painting reproduces the atmosphere of fear of cholera that gripped Russian society during its third pandemic.
The painting reproduces the atmosphere of fear of cholera that gripped Russian society during its third pandemic.
The third cholera pandemic (1846–1860) was the third major outbreak of cholera originating in India in the 19th century that reached far beyond its borders, which researchers at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) believe may have started as early as 1837 and lasted until 1863. In the Russian Empire, more than one million people died of cholera. In 1853–1854, the epidemic in London claimed over 10,000 lives, and there were 23,000 deaths for all of Great Britain. This pandemic was considered to have the highest fatalities of the 19th-century epidemics.
It had high fatalities among populations in Asia, Europe, Africa and North America. In 1854, which was considered the worst year, 23,000 people died in Great Britain.
That year, the British physician John Snow, who was working in a poor area of London, identified contaminated water as the means of transmission of the disease. After the 1854 Broad Street cholera outbreak he had mapped the cases of cholera in the Soho area in London, and noted a cluster of cases near a water pump in one neighborhood. To test his theory, he convinced officials to remove the pump handle, and the number of cholera cases in the area immediately declined. His breakthrough helped eventually bring the epidemic under control. Snow was a founding member of the Epidemiological Society of London, formed in response to a cholera outbreak in 1849, and he is considered one of the fathers of epidemiology.
Before John Snow showed the connection between contaminated drinking water and the incidence of cholera in an area of London, so confirming the Germ Theory of disease, cholera outbreaks were common. I my home county of Oxfordshire, the parish burial records are full of infant deaths, more often than not caused by cholera, and of course, Prince Albert, consort of Queen Victoria, famously died of cholera in 1861.It had high fatalities among populations in Asia, Europe, Africa and North America. In 1854, which was considered the worst year, 23,000 people died in Great Britain.
That year, the British physician John Snow, who was working in a poor area of London, identified contaminated water as the means of transmission of the disease. After the 1854 Broad Street cholera outbreak he had mapped the cases of cholera in the Soho area in London, and noted a cluster of cases near a water pump in one neighborhood. To test his theory, he convinced officials to remove the pump handle, and the number of cholera cases in the area immediately declined. His breakthrough helped eventually bring the epidemic under control. Snow was a founding member of the Epidemiological Society of London, formed in response to a cholera outbreak in 1849, and he is considered one of the fathers of epidemiology.
Cholera is still a major risk in areas of the world where, following a natural disaster such as an earthquake, when the drinking water and sewerage disposal infrastructure is disrupted, creationism's pestilential sadist often adds to the misery by contaminating the drinking water with Cholerae vibrio.
It's one of those enduring mysteries of fundamentalist religion that the cult leaders and their dupes would rather have their god presented as this pestilential, sadistic monster looking for more ways to shorten lives and increase the suffering in the world with it parasites, than have people believe these things are the result of a natural, observable evolutionary process. The objective seems less about worshiping a supposedly loving god, than fooling ignorant simpletons into joining the lucrative creationist cult.
The Malevolent Designer: Why Nature's God is Not Good
This book presents the reader with multiple examples of why, even if we accept Creationism's putative intelligent designer, any such entity can only be regarded as malevolent, designing ever-more ingenious ways to make life difficult for living things, including humans, for no other reason than the sheer pleasure of doing so. This putative creator has also given other creatures much better things like immune systems, eyesight and ability to regenerate limbs that it could have given to all its creation, including humans, but chose not to. This book will leave creationists with the dilemma of explaining why evolution by natural selection is the only plausible explanation for so many nasty little parasites that doesn't leave their creator looking like an ingenious, sadistic, misanthropic, malevolence finding ever more ways to increase pain and suffering in the world, and not the omnibenevolent, maximally good god that Creationists of all Abrahamic religions believe created everything. As with a previous book by this author, "The Unintelligent Designer: Refuting the Intelligent Design Hoax", this book comprehensively refutes any notion of intelligent design by anything resembling a loving, intelligent and maximally good god. Such evil could not exist in a universe created by such a god. Evil exists, therefore a maximally good, all-knowing, all-loving god does not.
Illustrated by Catherine Webber-Hounslow.
Available in Hardcover, Paperback or ebook for Kindle
Illustrated by Catherine Webber-Hounslow.
The Unintelligent Designer: Refuting The Intelligent Design Hoax
ID is not a problem for science; rather science is a problem for ID. This book shows why. It exposes the fallacy of Intelligent Design by showing that, when examined in detail, biological systems are anything but intelligently designed. They show no signs of a plan and are quite ludicrously complex for whatever can be described as a purpose. The Intelligent Design movement relies on almost total ignorance of biological science and seemingly limitless credulity in its target marks. Its only real appeal appears to be to those who find science too difficult or too much trouble to learn yet want their opinions to be regarded as at least as important as those of scientists and experts in their fields.
Available in Hardcover, Paperback or ebook for Kindle
I realise it's a lost cause to debate Covfefevirus True Believers, but if it was such a deadly pathogen, how come the streets weren't filled with people dropping dead before the "vaccines" (to call something which is emphatically neither a vaccine nor designed to be one, and which does not stop transmission) began to be widely administered in 2021 and 22?
ReplyDeleteBecause it wasn't such a deadly pathogen. If you think the vaccines weren't effective, compare the mortality and morbidity rates of those who were vaccinated wth those who weren't.
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