Smallpox

Smallpox was eradicated naturally in around 1980 when there was a push for vaccines. It had been tormenting the world for thousands of years according to Mayo Clinic (2020). There is not much historical information on smallpox that is relevant to this page but the authors suggest to research it as it is an interesting disease. There have been many epidemics of smallpox to our knowledge but no worldwide pandemics. There are samples of this virus kept for historical and research purposes so there is fear that it might be used as a terrorist weapon.

Smallpox is a disease caused by the variola virus. The disease causes unsightly lumps on any part of the body. They are filled with pus and leave scars when they go away. As this disease is caused by a virus and the virus doesn't do anything else, all information will be about the disease.

When the virus is caught, there is an incubation stage of 7 - 17 days where it is not contagious and the victim has no symptoms. When this stage is over, you develop flu like symptoms, fever, headache, fatigue, back pain and sometimes vomiting. A couple of days later, you develop red spots on your face, forearms and hands. They come on your trunk a couple of days later. These will fill with liquid, that then turns into pus. Once the disease is starting to leave, these will turn into scabs, and eventually fall off but will leave the deep scarring this disease is known for.

There is a vaccine and that is how this virus was eliminated. This is dangerous though because the vaccine uses a live virus similar to smallpox but not with as common complications. This other virus is probably more life threatening though, because when it does have complications, it affects the heart and brain.

If this virus and the disease do come loose again (which is highly unlikely), we will probably use social distancing, as with any virus spread by water droplets in the air. If someone did, they would probably be quarantined, just like during the Covid-19 pandemic.