Plague has been a threat to humanity since the dawn of civilization five thousand years ago. This timing is not a coincidence, because shared illness is an outcome of civilizations that gather, trade, and travel at accelerating rates with each passing generation. Fortunately, our understanding of science grows along with it.
The Black Death swept across Europe in the fourteenth century, just as people settled into rapidly growing cities. This was long before the recognition of germs and hygiene, so there was little hope to curb the spread of the bubonic plague, ending with an estimated wipeout of up to 60% of the European population. Still, some doctors knew to cover their faces with masks, while others cautioned against preventative measures, declaring that the disease was sent by God and death would ensure a place in paradise. The source of the disease is now said to be a bacteria from fleas carried by rodents that found a home in the newly populated cities.
Today, our understanding of viruses has improved but the threats remain. Urban sprawl has expanded into natural habitats, exposing humans to diseases carried by animals we wouldn’t normally come in contact with. The COVID-19 pandemic has proven that modern science has an incredible ability to react to these ancient problems, but the issue of exposure remains. Without a better understanding of how to limit human contact with animal-hosted viruses, a worse one could potentially be just around the corner.
