Cookie Usage

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies at www.cruzlaw.gi. You can find out how we use cookies, or if you do not wish us to set cookies, you can change your browser settings.

I agree
Search Call Menu

Pandemics. Fancy some numbers?

Following the UK flight banning, the headline is Portugal, but there are many countries also banned from South America not least due to their links with Portugal. I thought following a blog I penned the other day a simple list is called for. People like lists especially in the scan reading days of the early 21st Century. So here is one on death rates. Each point has the years for the particular plague or disease , the world population at the time and of course the death rate for the disease.

  • WHEN                                         DISEASE                             World Pop               No OF DEATHS                      PERCENTAGE
  • Middle Ages (1200AD)            Leprosy                                    360M                       Unknown                                  No cure at the time. Approx 200,000 infected p/a today but it can now be cured.
  • 1889/1890                                  Russian Flu                        1.6B                          1M (approx)                             0.06%
  • 1852/1860                                  Cholera Pandemic (3rd)  1.2B                          1M (approx)                             0.83%
  • 1520 to 1980                              Smallpox                             460M                       56M                                           In South America it killed 90%, in Mexico alone 10M people during the 1500’s
  • 1957/58                                       Asian Flu                             2.9B                          1-4M (estimated)                   Between 0.034 – 0.13%
  • 1347/1351                                   The Black Death                 360M                       75-200M                                  Between 20-50% worldwide
  • 1918/1920                                  Spanish Flu                          1.8B                         50M (approx)                          2.7%
  • 2020/2021                              Covid19                               7B                            2M                                            0.026% (so far)

A reminder though this current pandemic is not over and you could argue our behaviour is helping to stem the infection which is surely is in my opinion. I shall update this piece so that we can look back on the covid figures monthly.  Stay safe and wash your hands!