Superfact 24: Smallpox killed 300 million people in the 20th century. However, there have been no naturally occurring cases of smallpox since 1977, and the world was declared free of smallpox on May 8, 1980, by the 33rd World Health Assembly.
300 million people is an astonishing number. It is six times the 50 million people who died from the Spanish flu. It is about four times as many people as the 70 to 85 million people who died in World War II. It is close to the entire current population of the United States. That’s how many people died from this very dangerous disease. It was eradicated by a vaccination campaign.
I think this fact qualify as a super-fact, first of all because of the astonishingly huge number of deaths but also for the fact that it is gone. It is hard to believe that this happened. It is hard to believe that the world has changed so drastically for the better. It is a shocking but true fact. Thanks to the vaccination campaign we are living in a much better world.
What is Smallpox?
Smallpox is an infectious disease caused by the variola virus<<Link-1>>. The last naturally occurring case was diagnosed in October 1977, and the World Health Organization (WHO) certified the global eradication of the disease in 1980. The disease begins with fever and vomiting followed by the formation of ulcers in the mouth and a skin rash that later turns into fluid filled blisters with a dent in the middle. These blisters get scabbed and leave scars. The death rate was about 30%.
The Eradication of Smallpox and Vaccines
The smallpox vaccine has a long history that begin in China where smallpox inoculation had existed long before it did in Europe. In 1796 the English physician Edward Jenner demonstrated the effectiveness of cowpox to protect humans from smallpox. Soon after several countries enacted mandatory vaccinations.
In 1807, Bavaria became the first country in the world to introduce compulsory vaccinations. In 1958 the World Health Assembly was called upon to eradicate smallpox. At this point 2 million people still died from smallpox every year. In 1967 the World Health Organization intensified the global smallpox eradication. As mentioned, smallpox was eradicated at the end of the 1970’s.
In 1998 & 2002 vaccination was dealt a blow by the Wakefield studies claiming that the MMR vaccine caused autism. Even though the studies were debunked, and several later studies showed no link between the MMR vaccines and autism, the fear of vaccines began to spread.
For example, in 2024 the American Veterinary Medical Association reported 37% of the dog owners surveyed believe canine vaccination could cause autism in their dogs. Not only is there no link between vaccines and autism, but technically speaking, dogs cannot be autistic as the condition is unique to humans. Unfortunately, the unnecessary fear of vaccines causing autism seems to only be getting worse.
To see the other Super Facts click here
Are you vaccinated against smallpox?
Newstrade
The persons behind the “Wakefield studies” are immoral and unethical. They’re responsible for a lot of suffering and even preventable deaths.
Great – if rather distressing – super facts article, Thomas.
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I don’t know what Wakefield’s intentions were but his subpar studies got a lot of damaging mythology going. Thank you for your kind words Alex.
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Shocking to read some of those stats. More deaths than WWII! Let’s hope the crazy worm brain doesn’t get approved to run US Healthcare. Maggie
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Thank you so much Maggie. Yes it easy to forget what an enormous problem smallpox once was and how vaccines eradicated it. We don’t talk about problems that have been solved and yet some of them were once gigantic. Vaccine denial can be very dangerous.
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Smallpox was a devastating disease. It wiped out entire villages in North America and Africa when Europeans arrived in these territories. My in progress collection of South African short stories includes a story about a smallpox outbreak.
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Yes I read about that. Smallpox devasted the 20th century but it wasn’t any better in previous centruries and it was especially bad when Europeans brought it elsewhere where people had no immunity against it at all. The collection of South African short stories you are writing certainly sounds exciting.
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You are right, zthomas. I hope you’re having a good day.
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Thank you Robbie
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Java Bean: “Ayyy, small pox, big problems!”
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Ha ha yes Java Bean you are so right
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I have a relative who’s not an anti-vaxxer, exactly, but was let’s call him a “COVID skeptic”. One time he posted a series of pictures of protective face gear, you know, like a giant respirator to protect you when mining, a full face shield to protect you from pesticides, and then a surgical mask to protect you from “the deadliest virus in history”. This was meant to be dismissive both of masking for COVID and for COVID itself, of course. I wanted to reply that yes, a mask like that is one of the ways that people tried to protect themselves from smallpox, which could well be the actual deadliest virus in history, but I didn’t, because I usually figure there’s no point trying to engage with people who have that mindset …
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Oh, I almost forgot! On that cheerful note, Merry Christmas!
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Thank you James and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family including the doggies.
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Some people like to say “science does not know everything”, which is true, if it did it would stop, but it still knows a lot and just because it does not know everything is no reason to disregard what we know. There is also the precautionary principle. Just because we are not sure something will work it may be worth doing if it might help. But some people are very arrogant and dismissive in their beliefs. I followed the advice of my doctor.
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I have to work hard to not wish that those sorts of people don’t get sick…
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Yes anti-vaxxers put not only themselves at risk but many others, especially new born babies and those with conditions that make vaccination risky. They have to rely on herd immunity for protection.
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