The beginning of the Year of the Rat was supposed to be a joyous and festive New Year, but because a new type of human-to-human pneumonia was reported from Wuhan, people are scared. This year has passed with fear.
Apart from political wrestling, when we look back at the nature of the virus, I can’t help but think of several larger virus crises that have occurred in history.
Black Plague
In human history, the first recorded large-scale infectious disease was the Justinian Pandemic in AD 541, but it is not clear what the disease actually was and how many people died. It’s an important point to note when introducing European history. The Black Plague/Death took the lives of more than 25 million Europeans from the 14th to the 18th centuries, thus plunging the whole of Europe into the “Dark Ages of the Middle Ages.”
One theory is that the origin of the Black Death lies in the central and western parts of Asia. With the development of the Silk Road, the bacteria followed the camel caravan all the way westward and eventually had a great impact on the whole of Europe. Another theory suggests that when the Tatar (Mongolian) army marched westward in 1345, they were unable to attack Kaffa, a seaport city in what is now the Crimean Peninsula of Ukraine. They then decided to resort to “biochemical warfare” by using catapults to launch the bodies of plague victims. The people in the city were terrified by the “corpses” falling from the sky, unaware that it represented the arrival of the god of death. This super-powerful bacteria, whether seen as an “additional commodity” or a “weapon,” came to Europe at that time and became a prelude to the Hundred Years War between Britain and France (1337-1453). Coupled with poor social and sanitary conditions (Europe was still plagued by excrement and urine at that time), polluted water sources, and the absence of established medical treatment concepts, the Black Death led to the death of more than half of Europe’s population and a complete reordering of social structure.
The name “Black Death” originated from the bubonic plague, which is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. This bacterium can cause various forms of the plague, including bubonic, septicemic, and pneumonic plague. The Black Death specifically refers to the pandemic that occurred in Europe during the 14th century.
In the past, it was widely accepted that the virus was transmitted to humans through fleas that infested rodents, such as gerbils. However, some scientists now argue that there was not a significant increase in rodent deaths before the outbreak in humans, suggesting that rodents may not have been the primary source of transmission. Instead, it is more likely that head lice or fleas infesting humans played a crucial role in the rapid person-to-person transmission of the disease.
Regardless of the exact source, modern scientists can only speculate about what happened in the past based on the limited and long-term evidence available. It is possible that future evidence may emerge, allowing scientists to infer more accurately. The truth of the matter remains uncertain, but ongoing research and discoveries may shed further light on the origins and transmission of the Black Death.
Victims of the Black Death appear in the fourteenth-century manuscript ‘La Franceschina.’
When we introduce the country “Czech” in class, we will mention the famous “Bone Church.” The priest who presided over this church once brought back a handful of holy soil during a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and sprinkled it on the church’s door. This led to many wealthy individuals desiring to be buried in the church after their deaths. Later, during the outbreak of the Black Death, people afflicted with the disease, regardless of their social status, sought refuge in the church, awaiting their demise. Consequently, the church became filled with a large number of human bones. The idea then arose to utilize these bones as decorations (as there was a need for a place to accommodate the tens of thousands of human bones). Lara had heard about the Bone Church for a long time and finally had the opportunity to visit the Czech Republic two years ago with her two children. Initially, her sister, who was not yet four years old at the time, was hesitant to go. However, with the help of her brother and a pack of gummy bears, they managed to persuade her. Once she visited, not only did her fear dissipate, but she also expressed a desire to create a video to introduce the church to others. [Note: Due to a lack of respect for cultural relics and the inappropriate use of human bones as props for humorous photographs, photography inside the human bone church has been prohibited since 2020, unless one obtains prior permission.]
Each label in the middle picture represents a pair of human bones that have not yet been excavated.
Smallpox,
an infectious disease that appeared earlier than the Black Death and caused greater devastation in human history, is a term familiar to us from history textbooks. From Queen Mary of England and Louis XV of France to Emperor Shunzhi of the Qing Dynasty, many individuals both at home and abroad lost their lives to this disease. The origin of the smallpox bacteria can be traced back to the Neolithic period, and the earliest evidence we have at present is the DNA of the smallpox virus found on the mummy of Ramses V in ancient Egypt. During the process of human domestication of cattle, the cowpox virus, which was originally confined to cattle, evolved to infect humans and became one of humanity’s greatest adversaries until 1980.
In the 16th century, during the era of great nautical discoveries, Spaniards from Europe arrived in the New World of America, unwittingly introducing a devastating virus to the local indigenous populations – smallpox. This resulted in the disappearance of tens of millions of indigenous people and is considered one of the most horrific genocides in human history.
BAL209236 Columbus at Hispaniola, from ‘The Narrative and Critical History of America’, edited by Justin Winsor, London, 1886 (engraving) (later colouration) by Bry, Theodore de (1528-98) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: in Columbus and his discoveries;); Flemish, out of copyright
The “vaccine” in Western medicine appears to follow the principle of “fighting poison with poison” in traditional Chinese medicine. Cowpox, which is also a virus, can be used to treat more severe viruses. Therefore, it can be said that being a virus still contributes to its effectiveness. Over the past decade, there has been significant opposition to vaccine administration, particularly the injection of viruses into the human body. Of course, this perspective depends on each parent’s individual thoughts. The flu vaccine involves injecting a small amount of the flu strain into the body to stimulate antibody production. However, doctors and nurses often caution that fever may occur during the first two days. The reason for this is explained below.
Let’s bring our discussion closer to the present era. In 2003, a tragedy occurred with the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which claimed the lives of 774 individuals worldwide (data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Ministry of Health and Welfare). Although this number may seem small, the actual fatality rate was 10-15%, meaning that 10-15 out of 100 infected individuals died without receiving treatment. The fatality rate of the 2009 H1N1 influenza (swine flu) was 6-7%, while the fatality rate of the regular seasonal influenza is 0.3%. Another outbreak, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), occurred in South Korea in 2012, with a mortality rate as high as 30-40%! The Ebola virus (Ebolavirus), which continues to wreak havoc in Africa, has a fatality rate of 50%!
Upon seeing such data for the first time, I couldn’t help but wonder why I knew so little about MERS and Ebola, which have such high fatality rates! The reason might be that the distance between them and us is relatively far. I’m not referring to the physical distance of thousands of kilometers (South Korea is not very far from where I am…), but rather the distance in my heart. Honestly, my main concern about South Korea has only emerged in the past 10 years. I have watched no more than 5 Korean dramas, let alone Africa. Apart from Egypt, my knowledge of Africa is very limited. Perhaps it’s also because the movement of the African population to Asia is still relatively low, so even though diseases have caused tens of thousands of deaths there, it still doesn’t capture our attention. If it weren’t for the 2019 novel coronavirus, which has become an urgent issue at our doorstep, I might not have taken the matter of understanding the virus family that has the greatest impact on all human beings so seriously.
The mainstream narrative began with a seafood market in Wuhan, China, where some exotic animals were being sold. This virus is similar to SARS, which occurred 17 years ago. It is believed to have originated from the germs carried by fruit bats. Based on this inference, it is likely that humans consumed some types of game that should not be eaten, such as bats or civet cats, resulting in the transmission of the virus. Many articles mention that bats carry numerous viruses, but due to their need for extended flight, their average body temperature is as high as 40 degrees Celsius, which is higher than that of humans or other animals. Consequently, many innocent people suffer the consequences of the actions of a few individuals who enjoy experimenting with new things. I believe there must be a reason why humans have a few main sources of staple food. When humans discovered fire, they transitioned from consuming raw food to cooked food, from gathering wild fruits to cultivating rice, wheat, vegetables, and fruits. The consumption of meat was limited to a few main species that could be artificially reproduced. Throughout thousands of years of evolutionary history, these species were not “selected” without reason. It is possible that they are not suitable for mass reproduction, and their biological properties are not suitable for human consumption. If we persist in going against nature, the consequences can become unmanageable.
In fact, no scientist has fully confirmed that the virus originated solely from fruit bats. It doesn’t make sense to attribute all blame to bats. (Personally, I believe it is the result of human greed, regardless of the animal it comes from… It’s unfortunate that animals are hunted by humans @@) Initially, the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) was also believed to have originated from bats, but it was later discovered to be associated with camels in the Middle East. Bats have faced numerous baseless accusations… bats, civet cats, camels… Viruses coexist safely with these animals, so why must humans interfere and allow the virus to mutate and transmit to humans?!
For those interested in the issue of whether bats are carriers of the virus, I recommend reading the article titled “Let the Bats Be Spared!”
http://www.goldenbat.org.tw/news/401?fbclid=IwAR1cn-0OVK4ZDi-2M109KXCTYOFhOCndM8uGOPuD1kCp3K7OESUt-u9ioJ0
Over the past few days, I have come across numerous debates among medical professionals on the internet. While working on an article, I also came across a video that mentioned a German authority on coronavirus research who traveled to Wuhan to assist the Chinese scientific team in finding the cause and developing an antidote. In the video, virus expert Professor Hilgenfeld mentioned that he didn’t have an antidote for the coronavirus in his possession but urged everyone not to panic. He emphasized that the virus has always existed and its impact will change over time. The most important thing is that we start consciously protecting ourselves and gradually weaken its influence. So, let’s get back to the basics:
Frequently wash your hands with soap, wear surgical-grade masks in crowded public places, and take immediate preventive measures (such as wearing masks and seeking medical attention) if you experience suspected symptoms. Additionally, maintain good personal hygiene practices to protect yourself and others!
Although it may sound like a cliché, complete adherence to these measures requires significant self-discipline. When people worldwide begin to adopt correct concepts and genuinely care about others and their surroundings, we can hope for a reduction in man-made disasters. Let’s remain optimistic and strive for the best!
