List of epidemics and pandemics

This is a list of the largest known epidemics and pandemics caused by an infectious disease in humans. Widespread non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer are not included. An epidemic is the rapid spread of disease to a large number of people in a given population within a short period of time; in meningococcal infections, an attack rate in excess of 15 cases per 100,000 people for two consecutive weeks is considered an epidemic.^[1] Due to the long time spans, the first plague pandemic (6th century – 8th century) and the second plague pandemic (14th century – early 19th century) are shown by individual outbreaks, such as the Plague of Justinian (first pandemic) and the Black Death (second pandemic).

Pandemics timeline death tolls

Infectious diseases with high prevalence are listed separately (sometimes in addition to their epidemics), such as malaria, which may have killed 50–60 billion people.^[2]

Major epidemics and pandemics

By death toll

Ongoing epidemics and pandemics are in boldface. For a given epidemic or pandemic, the average of its estimated death toll range is used for ranking. If the death toll averages of two or more epidemics or pandemics are equal, then the smaller the range, the higher the rank. For the historical records of major changes in the world population, see world population.^[3]

Epidemics and pandemics with at least 1 million deaths

Rank	Epidemics/pandemics	Disease	Death toll	Percentage of population lost	Years	Location
1	1918 "Spanish" influenza pandemic	Influenza A/H1N1	17–100 million	1–5.4% of global population[4]	1918–1920	Worldwide
2	Plague of Justinian	Bubonic plague	15–100 million	25–60% of European population[5]	541–549	North Africa, Europe, and Western Asia
3	HIV/AIDS pandemic	HIV/AIDS	44 million (as of 2025[update])	–	1981–present[6]	Worldwide
4	Black Death	Bubonic plague	25–50 million	30–60% of European population[7]	1346–1353	Europe, Asia, and North Africa
5	COVID-19 pandemic	COVID-19	7.1–36.5 million[8][9] (as of 2025[update])	–	2019[a]–present[10][11][b]	Worldwide
6	Third plague pandemic	Bubonic plague	12–15 million	–	1855–1960	Worldwide
7	Cocoliztli epidemic of 1545–1548	Cocoliztli, caused by an unidentified pathogen	5–15 million	27–80% of Mexican population[12]	1545–1548	Mexico
8	Antonine Plague	Smallpox or measles	5–10 million	25–33% of Roman population[13]	165–180 (possibly up to 190)	Roman Empire
9	1520 Mexico smallpox epidemic	Smallpox	5–8 million	23–37% of Mexican population[12]	1519–1520	Mexico
10	1957–1958 influenza pandemic	Influenza A/H2N2	1–4 million	–	1957–1958	Worldwide
11	Hong Kong flu	Influenza A/H3N2	1–4 million	–	1968–1969	Worldwide
12	1918–1922 Russia typhus epidemic	Typhus	2–3 million	1–1.6% of Russian population[14]	1918–1922	Russia
13	Cocoliztli epidemic of 1576	Cocoliztli	2–2.5 million	50% of Mexican population[12]	1576–1580	Mexico
14	1772–1773 Persian Plague	Bubonic plague	2 million	–	1772–1773	Persia
15	735–737 Japanese smallpox epidemic	Smallpox	2 million	33% of Japanese population[15]	735–737	Japan
16	Naples Plague	Bubonic plague	1.25 million	–	1656–1658	Southern Italy
17	1889–1890 pandemic	Influenza or human coronavirus OC43[16][17]	1 million	–	1889–1890	Worldwide
18	1629–1631 Italian plague	Bubonic plague	1 million	–	1629–1631	Italy
19	1846–1860 cholera pandemic	Cholera	1 million	–	1846–1860	Worldwide

Depopulation of the Americas

Main article: Population history of Indigenous peoples of the Americas § Depopulation by Old World diseases

Not included in the above table are many waves of deadly diseases brought by Europeans to the Americas and Caribbean. Western Hemisphere populations were ravaged mostly by smallpox, but also typhus, measles, influenza, bubonic plague, cholera, malaria, tuberculosis, mumps, yellow fever, and pertussis. The lack of written records in many places and the destruction of many native societies by disease, war, and colonization make estimates uncertain. Deaths probably numbered in the tens or perhaps over a hundred million, with perhaps 90% of the population dead in the worst-hit areas. Lack of scientific knowledge about microorganisms and lack of surviving medical records for many areas makes attribution of specific numbers to specific diseases uncertain.

Infectious diseases with high prevalence

Further information: List of causes of death by rate

There have been various major infectious diseases with high prevalence worldwide, but they are currently not listed in the above table as epidemics/pandemics due to the lack of definite data, such as time span and death toll.

An Ethiopian child with malaria, a disease with an annual death rate of 619,000 as of 2021.^[18]

• Malaria has had multiple documented temporary epidemics in otherwise non-affected or low-prevalence areas. Malaria is commonly spread by mosquitoes. The vast majority of its deaths are due to its constant prevalence in affected areas.^[2]
• Tuberculosis (TB) became epidemic in Europe in the 18th and 19th century, showing a seasonal pattern, and is still taking place globally. TB causes symptoms including consumption (coughing up blood due to TB). TB is serious and if caught, needs strong antibiotics immediately. ^[19][20][21] The morbidity and mortality of TB and HIV/AIDS have been closely linked, known as "TB/HIV syndemic".^[21][22] According to the World Health Organization, approximately 10 million new TB infections occur every year, and 1.5 million people die from it each year – making it the world's top infectious killer (before COVID-19 pandemic).^[21] However, there is a lack of sources which describe major TB epidemics with definite time spans and death tolls.
• Hepatitis B: According to the World Health Organization, as of 2019^[update] there are about 296 million people living with chronic hepatitis B, with 1.5 million new infections each year. In 2019, hepatitis B caused about 820,000 deaths, mostly from cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (primary liver cancer).^[23] In many places of Asia and Africa, hepatitis B has become endemic.^[24] In addition, a person is sometimes infected with both hepatitis B virus (HBV) and HIV, and this population (about 2.7 million) accounts for about 1% of the total HBV infections.^[23]
• Hepatitis C: According to the World Health Organization, there are approximately 58 million people with chronic hepatitis C, with about 1.5 million new infections occurring per year. In 2019, approximately 290,000 people died from the disease, mostly from cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (primary liver cancer).^[25] There have been many hepatitis C virus (HCV) epidemics in history.^[26][27][28]

Chronology

Events in boldface are ongoing.

Chronological table of epidemic and pandemic events in human history

Event	Years	Location	Disease	Death toll (estimate)	Ref.
1350 BC plague of Megiddo	c. 1350 BC	Megiddo, land of Canaan	Amarna letters EA 244, Biridiya, mayor of Megiddo complains to Amenhotep III of his area being "consumed by death, plague and dust"	Unknown	[29]
Hittite Plague/"Hand of Nergal"	c. 1330 BC	Near East, Hittite Empire, Alashiya, possibly Egypt	Unknown, possibly Tularemia. Mentioned in Amarna letter EA 35 as the "Hand of Nergal", cause of death of Šuppiluliuma I.	Unknown
Plague of Athens	430–426 BC	Greece, Libya, Egypt, Ethiopia	Unknown, possibly typhus, typhoid fever or viral hemorrhagic fever	75,000–100,000	[30][31][32][33]
412 BC epidemic	412 BC	Greece (Northern Greece, Roman Republic)	Unknown, possibly influenza	473,000 (10% of the Roman Population)	[34]
Antonine Plague	165–180 (possibly up to 190)	Roman Empire	Unknown, possibly smallpox	5–10 million	[35][36]
Jian'an Plague	217	Han dynasty	Unknown, possibly typhoid fever or viral hemorrhagic fever	2 Million	[37][38]
Plague of Cyprian	249–262	Europe	Unknown, possibly smallpox	310,000	[39][40]
Plague of Justinian (beginning of first plague pandemic)	541–549	Europe and West Asia	Bubonic plague	15–100 million	[5][41][42]
580 Dysentery Epidemic in Gaul	580	Gaul	Dysentery or possibly smallpox	450,000 (10% of the Gaul population)	[43]
Roman Plague of 590 (part of first plague pandemic)	590	Rome, Byzantine Empire	Bubonic plague	Unknown	[44]
Plague of Sheroe (part of first plague pandemic)	627–628	Bilad al-Sham	Bubonic plague	25,000+
Plague of Amwas (part of first plague pandemic)	638–639	Byzantine Empire, West Asia, Africa	Bubonic plague	25,000+	[45]
Plague of 664 (part of first plague pandemic)	664–689	British Isles	Bubonic plague	Unknown	[46]
Plague of 698–701 (part of first plague pandemic)	698–701	Byzantine Empire, West Asia, Syria, Mesopotamia	Bubonic plague	Unknown	[47]
735–737 Japanese smallpox epidemic	735–737	Japan	Smallpox	2 million (approx. 1⁄3 of Japanese population)	[15][48]
Plague of 746–747 (part of first plague pandemic)	746–747	Byzantine Empire, West Asia, Africa	Bubonic plague	Unknown	[45]
Black Death (start of the second plague pandemic)	1346–1353	Eurasia and North Africa	Bubonic plague	75–200 million (30–60% of European population and 33% percent of the Middle Eastern population)	[49]
Sweating sickness (multiple outbreaks)	1485–1551	Britain (England) and later continental Europe	Unknown, possibly an unknown species of hantavirus	10,000+	[50]
1489 Spain typhus epidemic	1489	Spain	Typhus	17,000	[51]
1510 influenza pandemic	1510	Asia, North Africa, Europe	Influenza	Unknown, around 1% of those infected	[52]
1520 Mexico smallpox epidemic	1519–1520	Mexico	Smallpox	5–8 million (40% of population)	[12]
Cocoliztli epidemic of 1545–1548	1545–1548	Mexico	Possibly Salmonella enterica	5–15 million (80% of population)	[53][54][55][56]
1557 influenza pandemic	1557–1559	Asia, Africa, Europe, and Americas	Influenza	2.5–5 Million (10% of the infected)
1561 Chile smallpox epidemic	1561–1562	Chile	Smallpox	120,000–150,000 (20–25% of native population)	[57]
1563 London plague (part of the second plague pandemic)	1563–1564	London, England	Bubonic plague	20,100+	[58]
Cocoliztli epidemic of 1576	1576–1580	Mexico	Possibly Salmonella enterica	2–2.5 million (50% of population)	[53][54][55][56]
1582 Tenerife plague epidemic (part of the second plague pandemic)	1582–1583	Tenerife, Spain	Bubonic plague	5,000–9,000	[59]
1592–1596 Seneca nation measles epidemic	1592–1596	Seneca nation, North America	Measles	Unknown	[60]
1592–1593 Malta plague epidemic (part of the second plague pandemic)	1592–1593	Malta	Bubonic plague	3,000	[61]
1592–1593 London plague (part of the second plague pandemic)	1592–1593	London, England	Bubonic plague	19,900+	[62]
1596–1602 Spain plague epidemic (part of the second plague pandemic)	1596–1602	Spain	Bubonic plague	600,000–700,000	[63]
1600–1650 South America malaria epidemic	1600–1650	South America	Malaria	Unknown	[citation needed]
1603 London plague (part of the second plague pandemic)	1603	London, England	Bubonic plague	40,000	[64][65][66]
1616 New England infections epidemic	1616–1620	Southern New England, British North America, especially the Wampanoag people	Unknown, possibly leptospirosis with Weil syndrome. Classic explanations include yellow fever, bubonic plague, influenza, smallpox, chickenpox, typhus, and syndemic infection of hepatitis B and hepatitis D	1,143,000–3,429,000 (estimated 30–90% of population)	[67][68]
1629–1631 Italian plague (part of the second plague pandemic)	1629–1631	Italy	Bubonic plague	1 million	[69]
1632–1635 Augsburg plague epidemic (part of the second plague pandemic)	1632–1635	Augsburg, Germany	Bubonic plague	13,712	[70]
Massachusetts smallpox epidemic	1633–1634	Massachusetts Bay Colony, Thirteen Colonies	Smallpox	1,000	[71]
1634–1640 Wyandot people epidemic	1634–1640	Wyandot people, North America	Smallpox and Influenza	15,000–25,000	[72]
1637 London plague epidemic (part of the second plague pandemic)	1636–1637	London and Westminster, England	Bubonic plague	10,400	[73]
Great Plague in the late Ming dynasty (part of the second plague pandemic)	1633–1644	China	Bubonic plague	200,000+	[74][75]
Great Plague of Seville (part of the second plague pandemic)	1647–1652	Spain	Bubonic plague	500,000	[76]
1648 Central America yellow fever epidemic	1648	Central America	Yellow fever	Unknown	[77]
Naples Plague (part of the second plague pandemic)	1656–1658	Italy	Bubonic plague	1,250,000	[78]
1663–1664 Amsterdam plague epidemic (part of the second plague pandemic)	1663–1664	Amsterdam, Netherlands	Bubonic plague	24,148	[79]
Great Plague of London (part of the second plague pandemic)	1665–1666	England	Bubonic plague	100,000	[80][81]
1668 France plague (part of the second plague pandemic)	1668	France	Bubonic plague	40,000	[82]
1675–1676 Malta plague epidemic (part of the second plague pandemic)	1675–1676	Malta	Bubonic plague	11,300	[83]
1676–1685 Spain plague (part of the second plague pandemic)	1676–1685	Spain	Bubonic plague	Unknown	[84]
1677–1678 Boston smallpox epidemic	1677–1678	Massachusetts Bay Colony, British North America	Smallpox	750–1,000	[85]
Great Plague of Vienna (part of the second plague pandemic)	1679	Vienna, Austria	Bubonic plague	76,000	[86]
1681 Prague plague epidemic (part of the second plague pandemic)	1681	Prague, Czech Kingdom	Bubonic plague	83,000	[87]
1687 South Africa influenza outbreak	1687	South Africa	Unknown, possibly influenza	Unknown	[88]
1693 Boston yellow fever epidemic	1693	Boston, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British North America	Yellow fever	3,100+	[89]
1699 Charleston and Philadelphia yellow fever epidemic	1699	Charleston and Philadelphia, British North America	Yellow fever	520 (300 in Charleston, 220 in Philadelphia)	[90]
1702 New York City yellow fever epidemic	1702	New York City, British North America	Yellow fever	500	[91]
1702–1703 St. Lawrence Valley smallpox epidemic	1702–1703	New France, Canada	Smallpox	1,300	[92]
1707–1708 Iceland smallpox epidemic	1707–1709	Iceland	Smallpox	18,000+ (36% of population)	[93]
Great Northern War plague outbreak (part of the second plague pandemic)	1710–1712	Denmark, Sweden, Lithuania	Bubonic plague	164,000	[94][95]
1713–1715 North America measles epidemic	1713–1715	Thirteen Colonies and New France, Canada	Measles	Unknown	[96][97]
Great Plague of Marseille (part of the second plague pandemic)	1720–1722	France	Bubonic plague	100,000+	[98]
1721 Boston smallpox outbreak	1721–1722	Massachusetts Bay Colony	Smallpox	844	[99]
1730 Cádiz yellow fever epidemic	1730	Cádiz, Spain	Yellow fever	2,200	[100]
1732–1733 Thirteen Colonies influenza epidemic	1732–1733	Thirteen Colonies	Influenza	Unknown	[101]
1733 New France smallpox epidemic	1733	New France, Canada	Smallpox	Unknown	[102]
1735–1741 diphtheria epidemic	1735–1741	New England, Province of New York, Province of New Jersey, British North America	Diphtheria	20,000	[103]
Great Plague of 1738 (part of the second plague pandemic)	1738	Balkans	Bubonic plague	50,000	[104]
1738–1739 North Carolina smallpox epidemic	1738–1739	Province of Carolina, Thirteen Colonies	Smallpox	7,700–11,700	[105]
1741 Cartagena yellow fever epidemic	1741	Cartagena, Colombia	Yellow fever	20,000	[106]
1743 Sicily plague epidemic (part of the second plague pandemic)	1743	Messina, Sicily, Italy	Bubonic plague	40,000–50,000	[107][108]
1759 North America measles outbreak	1759	North America	Measles	Unknown	[109]
1760 Charleston smallpox epidemic	1760	Charleston, British North America	Smallpox	730–940	[110][111]
1762 Havana yellow fever epidemic	1762	Havana, Cuba	Yellow fever	8,000	[106]
1763 Pittsburgh area smallpox outbreak	1763	North America, present-day Pittsburgh area	Smallpox	Unknown	[112]
1770–1772 Russian plague (part of the second plague pandemic)	1770–1772	Russia	Bubonic plague	50,000	[113]
1772 North America measles epidemic	1772	North America	Measles	1,080	[114]
1772–1773 Persian Plague (part of the second plague pandemic)	1772–1773	Persia	Bubonic plague	2 million	[115]
1775–1776 England influenza outbreak	1775–1776	England	Influenza	Unknown	[116]
1775–1782 North American smallpox epidemic	1775–1782	Native populations in what is now the Pacific Northwest of the United States	Smallpox	11,000+	[117][118]
1778 Spain dengue fever outbreak	1778	Spain	Dengue fever	Unknown	[119]
1782 Influenza pandemic	1782	Worldwide	Influenza	Unknown
1788 Pueblo Indians smallpox epidemic	1788	Pueblo Indians in northern New Spain (what is now the Southwestern United States)	Smallpox	Unknown	[120]
1789–1790 New South Wales smallpox epidemic	1789–1790	New South Wales, Australia	Smallpox	125,251–175,351 (50–70% of native population)	[121][122]
1793 Philadelphia yellow fever epidemic	1793	Philadelphia, United States	Yellow fever	5,000+	[123]
1800–1803 Spain yellow fever epidemic	1800–1803	Spain	Yellow fever	60,000+	[124]
1801 Ottoman Empire and Egypt bubonic plague epidemic	1801	Ottoman Empire, Egypt	Bubonic plague	Unknown	[125]
1802–1803 Saint-Domingue yellow fever epidemic	1802–1803	Saint-Domingue	Yellow fever	29,000–55,000	[126]
1812 Russia typhus epidemic	1812	Russia	Typhus	300,000	[51]
1812–1819 Ottoman plague epidemic (part of the second plague pandemic)	1812–1819	Ottoman Empire	Bubonic plague	300,000+	[127]
1813–1814 Malta plague epidemic (part of the second plague pandemic)	1813–1814	Malta	Bubonic plague	4,500	[128]
Caragea's plague (part of the second plague pandemic)	1813	Romania	Bubonic plague	60,000	[129]
1817–1819 Ireland typhus epidemic	1817–1819	Ireland	Typhus	65,000	[130]
First cholera pandemic	1817–1824	Asia, Europe	Cholera	100,000+	[131]
1820 Savannah yellow fever epidemic	1820	Savannah, Georgia, United States	Yellow fever	700	[132]
1821 Barcelona yellow fever epidemic	1821	Barcelona, Spain	Yellow fever	5,000–20,000	[133][134]
Second cholera pandemic	1826–1837	Asia, Europe, North America	Cholera	100,000+	[135]
1828–1829 New South Wales smallpox epidemic	1828–1829	New South Wales, Australia	Smallpox	19,000	[136][137]
Groningen epidemic	1829	Netherlands	Malaria	2,800	[138]
1829–1833 Pacific Northwest malaria epidemic	1829–1833	Pacific Northwest, United States	Malaria, possibly other diseases too	150,000	[139][140]
1829–1835 Iran plague outbreak	1829–1835	Iran	Bubonic plague	Unknown	[141]
1834–1836 Egypt plague epidemic	1834–1836	Egypt	Bubonic plague	Unknown	[142]
1837 Great Plains smallpox epidemic	1837–1838	Great Plains, United States and Canada	Smallpox	17,000+	[143]
1841 Southern United States yellow fever epidemic	1841	Southern United States (especially Louisiana and Florida)	Yellow fever	3,498	[144]
1847 North American typhus epidemic	1847–1848	Canada	Typhus	20,000+	[145]
1847 Southern United States yellow fever epidemic	1847	Southern United States (especially New Orleans)	Yellow fever	3,400	[146]
1847–1848 influenza epidemic	1847–1848	Worldwide	Influenza	Unknown	[147]
1848–1849 Hawaii epidemic of infections	1848–1849	Hawaiian Kingdom	Measles, whooping cough, dysentery and influenza	10,000	[148]
1853 New Orleans yellow fever epidemic	1853	New Orleans, United States	Yellow fever	7,970	[133]
Third cholera pandemic	1846–1860	Worldwide	Cholera	1 million+	[149]
1853 Ottoman Empire plague epidemic	1853	Ottoman Empire	Bubonic plague	Unknown	[150]
1853 Copenhagen cholera outbreak	1853	Copenhagen, Denmark	Cholera	4,737	[151]
1854 Broad Street cholera outbreak	1854	London, England	Cholera	616	[152]
1855 Norfolk yellow fever epidemic	1855	Norfolk and Portsmouth, England	Yellow fever	3,000 (2,000 in Norfolk, 1,000 in Portsmouth)	[153]
Third plague pandemic	1855–1960	Worldwide	Bubonic plague	12–15 million (India and China)	[154][155]
1855–1857 Montevideo yellow fever epidemic	1855–1857	Montevideo, Uruguay	Yellow fever	3,400 (first wave; 900, second wave; 2,500)	[156]
1857 Lisbon yellow fever epidemic	1857	Lisbon, Portugal	Yellow fever	6,000	[133]
1857 Victoria smallpox epidemic	1857	Victoria, Australia	Smallpox	Unknown	[157]
1857–1859 Europe and the Americas influenza epidemic	1857–1859	Europe, North America, South America	Influenza	Unknown	[158]
1862 Pacific Northwest smallpox epidemic	1862–1863	Pacific Northwest, Canada and United States	Smallpox	20,000+	[159][160][161]
1861–1865 United States typhoid fever epidemic	1861–1865	United States	Typhoid fever	80,000	[162]
Fourth cholera pandemic	1863–1875	Middle East	Cholera	600,000	[163]
1867 Sydney measles epidemic	1867	Sydney, Australia	Measles	748	[164]
1871 Buenos Aires yellow fever epidemic	1871	Buenos Aires, Argentina	Yellow fever	13,500–26,200	[165]
1870–1875 Europe smallpox epidemic	1870–1875	Europe	Smallpox	500,000	[166][167]
1875 Fiji measles outbreak	1875	Fiji	Measles	40,000	[168]
1875–1876 Australia scarlet fever epidemic	1875–1876	Australia	Scarlet fever	8,000	[164]
1876 Ottoman Empire plague epidemic	1876	Ottoman Empire	Bubonic plague	20,000	[169]
1878 New Orleans yellow fever epidemic	1878	New Orleans, United States	Yellow fever	4,046	[126]
1878 Mississippi Valley yellow fever epidemic	1878	Mississippi Valley, United States	Yellow fever	13,000	[126]
Fifth cholera pandemic	1881–1896	Asia, Africa, Europe, South America	Cholera	298,600	[170]
1885 Montreal smallpox epidemic	1885	Montreal, Canada	Smallpox	3,164	[171]
1889–1890 pandemic	1889–1890	Worldwide	Influenza or Human coronavirus OC43 / HCoV-OC43[17][172] (disputed)	1 million	[173]
1894 Hong Kong plague (part of the third plague pandemic)	1894–1929	Hong Kong	Bubonic plague	20,000+	[174]
Bombay plague epidemic (part of the third plague pandemic)	1896–1905	Bombay, India	Bubonic plague	20,788	[175]
1896–1906 Congo Basin African trypanosomiasis epidemic	1896–1906	Congo Basin	African trypanosomiasis	500,000	[176]
1899 Porto plague outbreak (part of the third plague pandemic)	1899	Porto, Portugal	Bubonic plague	132	[177]
Sixth cholera pandemic	1899–1923	Europe, Asia, Africa	Cholera	800,000+	[178]
San Francisco plague of 1900–1904 (part of the third plague pandemic)	1900–1904	San Francisco, United States	Bubonic plague	119	[179]
1900 Sydney bubonic plague epidemic (part of the third plague pandemic)	1900	Australia	Bubonic plague	103	[180]
1900–1920 Uganda African trypanosomiasis epidemic	1900–1920	Uganda	African trypanosomiasis	200,000–300,000	[176]
Papua New Guinea kuru epidemic	1901–2009	Papua New Guinea	Kuru	2,700–3,000+	[181][182]
1903 Fremantle plague epidemic (part of the third plague pandemic)	1903	Fremantle, Western Australia	Bubonic plague	4	[183]
1906 malaria outbreak in Ceylon	1906–1936	Ceylon	Malaria	80,000	[184]
Manchurian plague (part of the third plague pandemic)	1910–1911	China	Pneumonic plague	60,000	[185]
1916 United States polio epidemic	1916	United States	Poliomyelitis	7,130	[186]
1918 influenza pandemic ('Spanish flu')	1918–1920	Worldwide	Influenza A virus subtype H1N1	17–100 million	[187][188][189]
1918–1922 Russia typhus epidemic	1918–1922	Russia	Typhus	2–3 million	[190]
1919–1930 encephalitis lethargica epidemic	1919–1930	Worldwide	Encephalitis lethargica	500,000	[191][192][193]
1924 Los Angeles pneumonic plague outbreak	1924	Los Angeles, United States	Pneumonic plague	30	[194]
1924–1925 Minnesota smallpox epidemic	1924–1925	Minnesota, United States	Smallpox	500	[195]
1927 Montreal typhoid fever epidemic	1927	Montreal, Canada	Typhoid fever	538	[196]
1929–1930 psittacosis pandemic	1929–1930	Worldwide	Psittacosis	100+	[197]
1937 Croydon typhoid outbreak	1937	Croydon, United Kingdom	Typhoid fever	43	[198]
1937 Australia polio epidemic	1937	Australia	Poliomyelitis	Unknown	[199]
1940 Sudan yellow fever epidemic	1940	Sudan	Yellow fever	1,627	[200]
1942–1944 Egypt malaria epidemic	1942–1944	Egypt	Malaria	Unknown	[142][201]
1946 Egypt relapsing fever epidemic	1946	Egypt	Relapsing fever	Unknown	[142][201]
1947 Egypt cholera epidemic	1947	Egypt	Cholera	10,277	[142][201][202]
1948–1952 United States polio epidemic	1948–1952	United States	Poliomyelitis	9,000	[186]
1957–1958 influenza pandemic ('Asian flu')	1957–1958	Worldwide	Influenza A virus subtype H2N2	1–4 million	[187][203][204]
1960–1962 Ethiopia yellow fever epidemic	1960–1962	Ethiopia	Yellow fever	30,000	[205]
Seventh cholera pandemic	1961–present	Worldwide	Cholera (El Tor strain)	36,000 [citation needed]	[206]
Hong Kong flu	1968–1970	Worldwide	Influenza A virus subtype H3N2	1–4 million	[187][203][204]
1971 Staphorst polio epidemic	1971	Staphorst, Netherlands	Poliomyelitis	5	[207]
1972 Yugoslav smallpox outbreak	1972	Yugoslavia	Smallpox	35	[208]
London flu	1972–1973	United States	Influenza A virus subtype H3N2	1,027	[209]
1973 Italy cholera epidemic	1973	Italy	Cholera (El Tor strain)	24	[210]
1974 smallpox epidemic in India	1974	India	Smallpox	15,000	[211]
1977 Russian flu	1977–1979	Worldwide	Influenza A virus subtype H1N1	700,000	[212][213]
Sverdlovsk anthrax leak	1979	Russia	Anthrax	105	[214]
HIV/AIDS epidemic	1981–present	Worldwide	HIV/AIDS	44 million (as of 2025[update])	[215]
1984 Western Sahara plague	1984	Western Sahara	Bubonic plague	64	[citation needed]
1986 Oju yellow fever epidemic	1986	Oju, Nigeria	Yellow fever	5,600+	[216]
1987 Mali yellow fever epidemic	1987	Mali	Yellow fever	145	[217]
1988 Shanghai hepatitis A epidemic	1988	Shanghai, China	Hepatitis A	31–47	[218][219][220]
1991 Bangladesh cholera epidemic	1991	Bangladesh	Cholera	8,410–9,432	[221]
1991 Latin America cholera epidemic	1991–1993	Peru, Chile, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala	Cholera	8,000	[222][223]
1994 plague in India	1994	India	Bubonic plague and Pneumonic plague	56	[224]
United Kingdom BSE outbreak	1996–2001	United Kingdom	Variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease / vCJD	178	[225][226]
1996 West Africa meningitis epidemic	1996	West Africa	Meningitis	10,000	[227]
1998–1999 Malaysia Nipah virus outbreak	1998–1999	Malaysia	Nipah virus infection	105	[228]
1998–2000 Democratic Republic of the Congo Marburg virus outbreak	1998–2000	Democratic Republic of the Congo	Marburg virus	128	[229]
2000 Central America dengue epidemic	2000	Central America	Dengue fever	40+	[230]
2001 Nigeria cholera epidemic	2001	Nigeria	Cholera	400+	[231]
2001 South Africa cholera epidemic	2001	South Africa	Cholera	139	[232][233]
2002–2004 SARS outbreak	2002–2004	Worldwide	Severe acute respiratory syndrome / SARS	774	[234]
2003–2019 Asia and Egypt avian influenza epidemic	2003–2019	China, Southeast Asia and Egypt	Influenza A virus subtype H5N1	455	[235]
2004 Indonesia dengue epidemic	2004	Indonesia	Dengue fever	658	[236]
2004 Sudan Ebola outbreak	2004	Sudan	Ebola	7	[237]
2004–2005 Angola Marburg virus outbreak	2004–2005	Angola	Marburg virus	227	[229]
2005 dengue outbreak in Singapore	2005	Singapore	Dengue fever	27	[238]
2006 Luanda cholera epidemic	2006	Luanda, Angola	Cholera	1,200+	[239]
2006 Ituri Province plague epidemic	2006	Ituri Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo	Bubonic plague	61	[240][241]
2006 India malaria outbreak	2006	India	Malaria	17	[242]
2006 dengue outbreak in India	2006	India	Dengue fever	50+	[243]
2006 dengue outbreak in Pakistan	2006	Pakistan	Dengue fever	50+	[244]
2006 Philippines dengue epidemic	2006	Philippines	Dengue fever	1,000	[245]
2006–2007 East Africa Rift Valley fever outbreak	2006–2007	East Africa	Rift Valley fever	394	[246]
Mweka Ebola epidemic	2007	Democratic Republic of the Congo	Ebola	187	[247]
2007 Ethiopia cholera epidemic	2007	Ethiopia	Cholera	684	[248]
2007 Iraq cholera outbreak	2007	Iraq	Cholera	10	[249]
2007 Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, and Mexico dengue fever epidemic	2007	Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Mexico	Dengue fever	183	[250]
2007 Uganda Ebola outbreak	2007	Uganda	Ebola	37	[237]
2007 Netherlands Q-fever epidemic	2007–2018	Netherlands	Q-fever	95	[251]
2008 Brazil dengue epidemic	2008	Brazil	Dengue fever	67	[252]
2008 Cambodia dengue epidemic	2008	Cambodia	Dengue fever	407	[253]
2008 Chad cholera epidemic	2008	Chad	Cholera	123	[254]
2008–2017 China hand, foot, and mouth disease epidemic	2008–2017	China	Hand, foot, and mouth disease	3,322+	[255]
2008 India cholera epidemic	2008	India	Cholera	115	[256]
2008 Madagascar plague outbreak	2008	Madagascar	Bubonic plague	18+	[257]
2008 Philippines dengue epidemic	2008	Philippines	Dengue fever	172	[258]
2008 Zimbabwean cholera outbreak	2008–2009	Zimbabwe	Cholera	4,293	[259]
2009 Bolivian dengue fever epidemic	2009	Bolivia	Dengue fever	18	[260]
2009 Gujarat hepatitis outbreak	2009	India	Hepatitis B	49	[261]
Queensland 2009 dengue outbreak	2009	Queensland, Australia	Dengue fever	1+ (503 cases)	[262]
2009–2010 West African meningitis outbreak	2009–2010	West Africa	Meningitis	1,100	[263]
2009 swine flu pandemic	2009–2010	Worldwide	Influenza A virus subtype H1N1	Lab confirmed deaths: 18,449 (reported to the WHO)	[264]
				Estimated death toll: 284,000 (possible range 151,700–575,400)	[265]
2010s Haiti cholera outbreak	2010–2019	Haiti	Cholera (strain serogroup O1, serotype Ogawa)	10,075	[266]
2010–2014 Democratic Republic of the Congo measles outbreak	2010–2014	Democratic Republic of the Congo	Measles	4,500+	[267][268]
2011 Vietnam hand, foot, and mouth disease epidemic	2011	Vietnam	Hand, foot, and mouth disease	170	[269][270]
2011 dengue outbreak in Pakistan	2011	Pakistan	Dengue fever	350+	[271]
2012 yellow fever outbreak in Darfur, Sudan	2012	Darfur, Sudan	Yellow fever	171	[272]
MERS outbreak	2012–present	Worldwide	Middle East respiratory syndrome / MERS-CoV	941 (as of 8 May 2021[update])	[273][274]
2013 dengue outbreak in Singapore	2013	Singapore	Dengue fever	8
2013 Vietnam measles outbreak	2013–2014	Vietnam	Measles	142	[275]
Western African Ebola virus epidemic	2013–2016	Worldwide, primarily concentrated in Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone	Ebola	11,323+	[276][277][278]
2013–2014 chikungunya outbreak	2013–2015	Americas	Chikungunya	183	[279]
2013–19 avian influenza epidemic	2013–2019	China	Influenza A virus subtype H7N9	616	[280]
21st century Madagascar plague outbreaks	2014–2017	Madagascar	Bubonic plague	292	[281]
Flint water crisis	2014–2015	Flint, Michigan, United States	Legionnaires' disease	12	[282]
2014 Odisha hepatitis outbreak	2014–2015	India	Primarily Hepatitis E, but also Hepatitis A	36	[283]
2015 Indian swine flu outbreak	2015	India	Influenza A virus subtype H1N1	2,035	[284][285][286]
2015–16 Zika virus epidemic	2015–2016	Worldwide	Zika virus	53	[287]
2016 Angola and Democratic Republic of the Congo yellow fever outbreak	2016	Angola and Democratic Republic of the Congo	Yellow fever	498 (377 in Angola, 121 in Congo)	[288]
2016–2022 Yemen cholera outbreak	2016–2023	Yemen	Cholera	4,004 (as of June 11, 2023[update])	[289]
2017 Nigeria Lassa fever epidemic	2017–2023	Nigeria	Lassa fever	1103 (as of April 2023)	[290]
2017 dengue outbreak in Peshawar	2017	Peshawar, Pakistan	Dengue fever	69	[291]
2017 Gorakhpur hospital deaths	2017	India	Japanese encephalitis	1,317	[292]
2017 dengue outbreak in Sri Lanka	2017	Sri Lanka	Dengue fever	440	[293]
2018 Nipah virus outbreak in Kerala	2018	India	Nipah virus infection	17	[294]
Kivu Ebola epidemic	2018–2020	Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda	Ebola	2,280	[295][296][297]
2018 NDM-CRE outbreak in Italy	2018–2019	Italy	New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase-producing Carbapenem-resistant enterobacteriaceae	31 (as of September 2019)	[298]
2019–2020 measles outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo	2019–2020	Democratic Republic of the Congo	Measles	7,018+	[299]
2019–2020 New Zealand measles outbreak	2019–2020	New Zealand	Measles	2	[300]
2019 measles outbreak in the Philippines	2019	Philippines	Measles	415	[301]
2019 Kuala Koh measles outbreak	2019	Kuala Koh, Malaysia	Measles	15	[302]
2019 Samoa measles outbreak	2019	Samoa	Measles	83	[303]
2019–2020 dengue fever epidemic	2019–2020	Asia-Pacific, Latin America	Dengue fever	3,931	[304]
COVID-19 pandemic	2019[a]–present	Worldwide	COVID-19	7.1–36.5 million	[306]
2020 Democratic Republic of the Congo Ebola outbreak	2020	Democratic Republic of the Congo	Ebola	55	[307]
2020 dengue outbreak in Singapore	2020	Singapore	Dengue fever	32	[308]
2020 Nigeria yellow fever epidemic	2020	Nigeria	Yellow fever	296 (as of 31 December 2020)	[309]
2021 South Sudan disease outbreak	2021	South Sudan	Unknown	97 (as of December 2021)	[310]
2021 India black fungus epidemic	2021–2022	India	Black fungus (COVID-19 condition)	4,332	[311]
2022 hepatitis of unknown origin in children	2021–2022	Worldwide	Hepatitis by Adenovirus variant AF41 (Unconfirmed)	18	[312][313][314]
2022–2024 Southern Africa cholera outbreak	2022–present	Southern Africa	Cholera	3000+	[315]
2022–2023 mpox outbreak	2022–2023	Worldwide	Mpox	280	[316][317][318][319]
2022 Uganda Ebola outbreak	2022–2023	Uganda	Sudan ebolavirus	77	[320]
2023–2024 Zambian cholera outbreak (part of the 2022–2024 Southern Africa cholera outbreak)	2023–present	Zambia	Cholera	685	[321]
2023 South Poland Legionellosis outbreak	2023	Poland	Legionnaires' disease	41	[322][323]
African mpox epidemic	2023–present	Worldwide, primarily Africa	Mpox	812	[324]
2023–2024 Bangsamoro measles outbreak	2023–present	Bangsamoro, Philippines	Measles	14
2023–2024 Oropouche virus disease outbreak	2023–2024	Brazil	Oropouche fever	2	[325][326][327]
2024 American dengue epidemic	2024–present	Latin America and the Caribbean	Dengue virus	8,186	[328]
2024 Kwango province malaria outbreak	2024–present	Democratic Republic of the Congo	Malaria	143	[329]
HMPV outbreak in East Asia	2024–present	East Asia	Human metapneumovirus (HMPV)	Unknown

See also

• Pandemic portal

• Globalization and disease – Overview of globalization and disease transmission
• History of smallpox
• List of Ebola outbreaks – Cases and outbreaks of Ebola virus disease
• List of infectious diseases
• List of natural disasters by death toll#Deadliest epidemics
• Timeline of plague – Human and animal diseasePages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets

Explanatory notes

1. The COVID-19 pandemic started as a regional outbreak/epidemic of COVID-19 in China in late 2019. The World Health Organization referred to it as a "pandemic" on 11 March 2020.^[305] The starting time of this epidemic is thus 2019, regardless of the time when it became a pandemic.
2. The disease was a public health emergency of international concern from January 30, 2020 to May 5, 2023.