What was the largest smallpox epidemic?

What was the largest smallpox epidemic?

A particularly virulent sequence of smallpox outbreaks took place in Boston, Massachusetts. From 1636 to 1698, Boston endured six epidemics. In 1721, the most severe epidemic occurred….Epidemics in the Americas.

What percentage of Aztecs died from smallpox?

Some estimates are even higher and state that as many as 90% of the population died. What is known for sure is that the conquest of Mexico was hugely influenced by the arrival of this deadly disease and that the defeat of the people of Mexico was significantly contributed to by the smallpox virus.

How many lives did the smallpox vaccine save?

It is impossible to know very exactly how many people would have died of smallpox since 1980 if scientists had not developed the vaccine, but reasonable estimates are in the range of around 5 million lives per year, which implies that between 1980 and 2018 around 150 to 200 million lives have been saved.

What was pox in the 1700s?

Smallpox: a feared enemy Epidemics hit Boston on several occasions during the 1700s [2]. The repeated outbreaks of 1721, 1752, 1764, and 1775 were particularly severe. Death rates were high. In the epidemic of 1721, the fatality was nearly 15% among those who contracted the malady.

Was there a pandemic in 1700s?

In the 1700s, worldwide eruptions of smallpox threatened the lives of multitudes, although other epidemics such as cholera, yellow fever, plague, and influenza played havoc as well. Boston was in the crosshairs of smallpox on several occasions, but also became a place that helped leading the way out of the darkness.

Was there a pandemic in 1776?

During an outbreak in Boston, Washington sent troops made up only of men who had previously been infected with smallpox. With this, he was able to both protect his soldiers and take advantage of the vulnerability of Boston and its British inhabitants during the smallpox outbreak of March 1776.