The whole world is passing through one of the most dangerous yet strange and intensive curves as all countries of the world are being subjected to a global pandemic; after Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the World Health Organization, declared that the organization considers Corona virus-(Covid-19) – a global pandemic; in other words, its global spreading can’t be controlled especially after the number of casualties reached the level of a global pandemic. He mentioned: “We feel deep worries towards its great distressful levels of spreading.”
During these crucial circumstances, I can’t find a way except to stop talking about the history of Egypt for a while, as what the whole world is facing now; is the first of its kind throughout the history of mankind!!
Global Pandemics
The British Daily Mail newspaper announced a report about the global pandemics such as:
The Antonine Plague
It appeared in the Roman Empire between 165 ADand 180 AD,and spread throughout the world killing five million!!
The Justinian Plague
Between 541 and 542 AD, the Justinian Plague spread throughout the Byzantine Empire, killing more than 30 million people.
The Japanese Smallpox
It spread in Tokyo in 735 AD, moved to its neighboring countries, and within two years killed 2 million people!!
The Plague or the Black Death
It started in the south west of Asia, and then moved to Europe in the 14th century between 1347 and 1351, killed almost two hundred million people.
The Hemorrhagic Fever
The Hemorrhagic Fever or the Great Pandemicspread in Mexico in the 16th century from 1545 to 1548, killing from five to fifteen million people.
Cholera
That pandemic spread throughout Asia and Europe in the 19th century from 1817 to 1824, killing ten thousand people and still infects a lot of people till these days!!
The Third Pandemic
In 1855, a plague known as the Third Pandemic appeared in Yunnan province, China, to spread later in the world killing 12 million people.
The Russian Flu
It killed million people from 1889-1890.
The Spanish Flu
It is the 20th century pandemic that spread from 1918 to 1920, killing millions of people- with estimation from fifty to one hundred million people in just eighteen months!!! The number of casualties reached the quarter of the world!!
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome “AIDS”
It caused the death of thirty five million people since 1981 till now, in South Africa where huge numbers of casualties than in the whole world which is about million people.
SARS
It appeared in each of Asia in Hong Kong and Canada in 2002 and 2004, and then it spread to other thirty seven countries in a very short time that didn’t exceed a few weeks!! It caused the death of 922 people and 8422 other casualties.
The Swine Flu
It appeared in Mexico in 2009, and then in California in the United States of America, then the infection spread throughout the world, causing the death of approximately two hundred thousand people.
Ebola
It started in Guinea and killed nearly eleven thousand people from 2014 to 2016.
Corona
It started in China by the end of 2019, spread to Europe and moved to more than 114 other countries. All countries in the whole world agreed on closing all their airports and suspend all the international flights; furthermore they declared some precautious decisions to prevent thespreading of the disease such as: suspension of all activities that include gathering of people such as sports; arts and social activities, in addition all the employees could do their jobs from home if possible.The world is still struggling against the rapid spread of this pandemic with anticipation and anxiety.
In reference to what we have presented, it is obvious that those previous pandemics didn’t exceed a country or a continent or some of thecountries in the whole world. Unlike Corona virus that spread massively in the largest number of countries until now and witnessed incidents that were considered the first of its kind such as: closure of the airports in the whole world and all passports became void; they don’t get you to any destination. Also this is considered the first time to close all the places of worship in the world as the Vatican declared the closure of St. Peter’s square and the church in front of the tourists. On Sunday morning March 15th, the Vatican confirmed that the celebrations of Easter will be held without worshippers due to the massive spread of the virus. In a statement it was said: “Due to the current global public health emergencies state, all the religious celebrations during the Holy Week will be held without any physical attendance of the believers.”
In addition many Arab, Foreign countries and in Egypt declared suspension of prayer at worship places as a part of a series of precautious measures to prevent spreading of Corona virus. As for an example: the German authorities decided to cancel all gathering prayers to all religions; moreover the Islamic countries like Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Jordon, Kuwait and Emirates decided to close mosques and all worship places to prevent spreading of the virus. Also Saudi Arabia suspended Umrah fearing the spread of Corona virus in the Great Mosque of Mecca “Masjid al-Haram”. In Iran all mosques and shrines were closed, whilst the Great Rabbi in Jerusalem banned kissing the stones of the Western Wall to prevent spreading Corona virus. To be continued…
Stories about Beautiful Egypt never end!
General Bishop,
Head of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center
