In the 1330's,the bubonic plague returned, this time in Asia.It would spread rapidly and come to be known as"The Black Death".The conditions in much of Asia and Europe-war,climate change,a lack of adequate food, crowded cities and a lack of basic health routines-provided the perfect conditions for the disease to spread worldwide. In highly populated areas all over Europe, Asia,Africa and the Middle East, one half to one third of the population was lost to the Black Death. Less populated areas,mostly in northern Europe, were less severely affected. Another epidemic that started and spread in similar conditions was the Great Flu Epidemic of 1918 (also called the Spanish Flu). It struck near the end of the first World War and continued after the war was finished. Having killed between 25 and 50 nmillion people in 18 months,it is believed tobe the most acute worldwide epidemic in history.More people died of the flu than died in the war.Yet,somehow,it has been forgotten by history. One epidemic that we haven't forgotten yet is the SARS epidemic of 2002/2003. It began with an abnormal lung disease in Guangdong Province and spread worldwide after Dr Liu Jianjun to Hong Kong.
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