The top 10 most costly virus outbreaks in history
The human cost of a virus outbreak can be measured in many ways. One is the number of people who die as a result of the infection. Another is the economic cost, which can be staggering. The following are the top 10 most costly virus outbreaks in history, based on their economic impact.
1. SARS – The outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003 had a global economic impact of $33 billion. The virus originated in China and quickly spread to other parts of Asia, Canada, and Europe. A total of 8,098 people were infected and 774 died.
2. Ebola – The 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak in West Africa was the most severe in history, with 28,616 cases and 11,310 deaths. The economic impact was estimated at $2.2 billion.
3. Swine flu – The 2009 swine flu pandemic caused an estimated 60.8 million infections and 12,469 deaths in the United States alone. The global economic impact was $60 billion.
4. HIV/AIDS – The HIV/AIDS pandemic has resulted in more than 70 million infections and 35 million deaths since it began in the early 1980s. The economic impact has been estimated at $1 trillion.
5. MERS – The outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) in Saudi Arabia in 2012 resulted in 858 confirmed cases and 282 deaths. The economic impact was estimated at $1 billion.
6. SARS-CoV-2 – The current outbreak of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, began in China in December 2019. As of June 2020, the global economic impact was estimated at $8.7 trillion.
7. Zika – The Zika virus outbreak in Brazil in 2015-16 resulted in an estimated 1.5 million infections and $1.6 billion in economic losses.
8. West Nile – The West Nile virus outbreak in the United States in 1999 resulted in more than 9,000 cases and 264 deaths. The economic impact was estimated at $800 million.
9. H1N1 – The 2009 H1N1 pandemic, also known as swine flu, resulted in an estimated 60.8 million infections and 12,469 deaths in the United States alone. The global economic impact was $60 billion.
10. Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever – The Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus is endemic in many parts of Africa. The largest outbreak occurred in Sudan in 2004, with more than 3,000 cases and 261 deaths. The economic impact was estimated at $53 million. Resource
How do computer viruses work?
Computer viruses are small software programs that are designed to spread from one computer to another and to interfere with computer operation. A virus might corrupt or delete data on your computer, use your email program to spread itself to other computers, or even erase everything on your hard disk. Viruses can be disguised as attachments of funny images, greeting cards, or audio and video files. They can also be hidden in disk boot sectors, master boot records, the the BIOS or firmware of your computer.
Viruses spread when the software they are attached to is run or opened. For example, they might spread when you open an email attachment or plug in an infected USB drive. Once a virus is on your computer, it can do all sorts of damage. It might delete files, format your hard drive, or even steal your personal information like passwords, credit card numbers, and bank account information.
When a virus infects a computer, it usually does not do anything right away. This is because the virus wants to spread to as many computers as possible before it starts causing any damage. However, some viruses are programmed to start causing damage right away. For example, a virus might delete all the files on your hard drive or it might encrypt all your files so that you can’t open them.
There are many different types of computer viruses, and new ones are created all the time. Some viruses are harmless while others can cause a lot of damage. The best way to protect your computer from viruses is to install antivirus software and keep it up-to-date. Antivirus software will scan your computer for viruses and remove them.
Computer viruses are small software programs that are designed to spread from one computer to another and to interfere with computer operation. A virus might corrupt or delete data on your computer, use your email program to spread itself to other computers, or even erase everything on your hard disk. Viruses can be disguised as attachments of funny images, greeting cards, or audio and video files. They can also be hidden in disk boot sectors, master boot records, the BIOS or firmware of your computer.
Viruses spread when the software they are attached to is run or opened. For example, they might spread when you open an email attachment or plug in an infected USB drive. Once a virus is on your computer, it can do all sorts of damage. It might delete files, format your hard drive, or even steal your personal information like passwords, credit card numbers, and bank account information.
When a virus infects a computer, it usually does not do anything right away. This is because the virus wants to spread to as many computers as possible before it starts causing any damage. However, some viruses are programmed to start causing damage right away. For example, a virus might delete all the files on your hard drive or it might encrypt all your files so that you can’t open them.
There are many different types of computer viruses, and new ones are created all the time. Some viruses are harmless while others can cause a lot of damage. The best way to protect your computer from viruses is to install antivirus software and keep it up-to-date. Antivirus software will scan your computer for viruses and remove them.
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