On This Day

Small Pox Eradicated

This was the first time a disease was declared eradicated. It was eradicated by a massive vaccination and containment program. The eradication of Small Pox was aided by the facts that humans are the only reservoir for smallpox infection, and that asymptomatic carriers did not exist.

It is estimated that smallpox killed 300-500 million people in the 20th century.