Scientists have discovered more than 249 viruses in human history. Every year 2 to 3 viruses pop-up and scare people that cause unrest. Although it’s not something new, we have been fighting viruses since before our species had even evolved. Maybe it’s because bacteria evolved to become more complex and made it first to the existence. Our immune system repels and fights like a superhero with the most dangerous viruses. But we’re a long way from winning the fight against viruses that are completely alien to us.
For centuries, several viruses have attacked humans and spread worldwide panic. They claimed thousands of lives and slowed our growth. The recent pandemic COVID-19 is currently driving outbreaks around the globe posing a serious threat to public health.
Let’s see some other most dangerous viruses and their worldwide results based on numbers of people they have killed and grown threat.
Here Are Some About Most Dangerous Viruses In The World
1. Marburg virus
- Identified in 1967, when small Marburg virus outbreaks occurred in Marburg and Frankfurt, Germany followed by Belgrade, Yugoslavia.
- During the first outbreaks, 31 people contracted Marburg virus disease. Seven people died.
- It spreads through direct contact with body fluids such as blood, and the tissue of an infected person/animal.
- Symptoms: Severe illness, serious headaches, muscle pain, diarrhea, cramps, and vomiting. It causes people to look like they have deep-seated eyes.
- Carriers: Monkeys and fruit bats are common carriers.
- Mortality rate: 24% in the first outbreak, more than 80% in the 1998-2005’s. 587 cases and 475 deaths occurred.
2. Ebola virus (The USA donated $900m in support)
- The first outbreaks occurred near rainforests in remote villages of Africa in the 1970s.
- Named after Ebola River, once known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever.
- It spreads through blood, bodily fluids and secretions, and by coming into contact with contaminated surfaces.
- Symptoms: Fever, fatigue, a sore throat, headaches, muscle pain, rash, vomiting, diarrhea, impaired liver and kidney function, internal and external bleeding, and low white blood cell count.
- Carriers: Porcupines, forest antelope, monkeys, gorillas, chimpanzees, and the fruit bat
- Mortality rate: Average rate is 50%, but can vary from 25% to 90% in outbreaks. 28,616 cases and 11,310 deaths were reported.
3. Rabies
- Rabies is an infectious viral disease that almost always results in death.
- It has been found on every continent except for Antarctica.
- 99% of the 59,000 global deaths from rabies each year occur in Asia and Africa.
- Symptoms: Fever, headaches, brain inflammation, partial paralysis, anxiety, insomnia, abnormal behavior, hallucinations, delirium, coma, and death.
- Carriers: Both domestic and wild animals can transmit rabies to humans.
- Mortality rate: Requires immediate wash for at least 15 minutes. One of the most dangerous viruses that have a 100% fatality rate if ignored to take immediate action.
4. HIV
- HIV attacks the human immune system, leads to organ failures, and develops AIDS.
- Transmission rates are higher in low-income countries.
- Spreads through bodily fluids such as blood, and breast milk, as well as through unprotected sex.
- Symptoms: Fever, rash, and headache. However, more severe ones appear usually several years later.
- Carriers: HIV transmission can occur only through body fluids but not communicable by touch.
- Mortality rate: Infected one can live for 10 years or more without the virus becoming AIDS. 770,000 people died from HIV globally in 2018.
5. Hentavirus
- Hentavirus outbreak was identified during the Korean War in 1950-1953.
- Affected 3,000 soldiers where roughly 10% of them died generalized hemorrhaging or kidney failure.
- It’s important to remove mice and their droppings and nests from the home in order to avoid the virus.
- Symptoms: At first the person feels fatigued, muscle aches, and fever. Difficulty breathing follows a few days later.
- Carriers: Caused by coming into contact with infected rodents or their excrement.
- Mortality rate: When hantavirus progresses to Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome the mortality rate is 38%.
6. Influenza
- Also referred to as the flu, Influenza results in infection to the lungs, nose, and throat.
- An infected one can infect someone before knowing they are ill themselves.
- It can worsen other illnesses that an individual may have including diabetes, heart disease, asthma, or other chronic illnesses.
- Symptoms: Range from mild to severe and in the most severe cases it can lead to death.
- Carriers: A person can be contagious 24 hours before the onset of symptoms.
- Mortality rate: During the 2018-2019 season, an estimated 35.5 million people getting sick and 34,200 deaths from influenza.
7. SARS-CoV
- Began in southern China’s Guangdong, Sars coronavirus causes severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).
- In 2003 SARS-CoV was declared pandemic that reached 26 different countries and caused 8000+ cases.
- Transmitted mostly through human-to-human contact via droplets that are projected during a sneeze or cough. Touching contaminated surfaces can also acquire the SARS virus.
- Symptoms: Fever, fatigue, headaches, diarrhea, cough, and shortness of breath.
- Carriers: It is believed that SARS-CoV began as an animal virus found in bats.
- Mortality rate: 9% of 8,000 affected people died and were more commonly over the age of 50.
In the 1970 plague, 1820 cholera outbreak, 1920 Spanish flu, and 2020 Coronvirus outbreak, it seems that once in 100 years the world suffers from a pandemic. Researchers say that all of these previous pandemics have exactly the same pattern as the coronavirus outbreak in China. Are these pandemics created purposely or just an unbelievable coincidence of human history? The internet is flooded with posts along with panics, and some posts are claiming it a BioWare.
Although the mortality rate of Covid-19 is much less than the previous outbreaks, humans with enormous technologies have failed to stop it from spreading so rapidly. More than 178,500 people have been infected with the novel virus in less than 3 months, and while you’re reading this article 5-6 people have already been infected.
- On December 31, 2019, the World Health Organization office in China heard the first reports.
- Coronavirus is mostly attacking the people who have a travel history, especially form China.
- It spreads from person to person in close proximity, mainly by touching the surfaces which are contaminated. The droplets of bodily fluids such as saliva or mucus from an infected person can infect less-than-1meter near people.
- Symptoms: Runny nose, sore throat, dry cough, and high fever. In the most severe case infected one can have breathing difficulties.
- Carriers: From where the coronavirus started is still a mystery, but researchers claim that it all started in a “wet market” in Wuhan, China. Like many other markets, farmed and exotic animals are killed on-site to ensure freshness.
- Mortality rate: 3.4% as of March 3 estimated by the WHO.
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