In 1889, a disease outbreak in central Asia went global, igniting a pandemic that killed more than a million people. Originally blamed on influenza, it is now thought the culprit was a coronavirus that today results in nothing more than a common cold. Virologists studying present day benign pathogens believe they were probably far more deadly in the past. Understanding them may help us avoid the next pandemic.
Link to study
Leen Vijgen, Els Keyaerts, Elien Moës, Inge Thoelen, Elke Wollants, Philippe Lemey, Anne-Mieke Vandamme, Marc Van Ranst
The 12 January 1890, edition of the Paris satirical magazine Le Grelot [fr] depicted an unfortunate influenza sufferer bowled along by a parade of doctors, druggists, skeleton musicians and dancing girls representing quinine and antipyrine. Source