Human consequences
Overwhelmed health systems, mass bereavement and lasting after-effects (“long COVID”); schools closed for more than a billion pupils.
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PandemicCOVID-19 pandemic
7MDeaths
Not quantifiedDisplaced / homeless
$12,500bnEstimated cost
- More than 7 million deaths reported to the WHO; real excess mortality is estimated at 15 to 20 million.
- Cumulative global output losses estimated by the IMF through 2024.
The SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, identified in Wuhan at the end of 2019, spreads to every continent within weeks. For the first time, more than half of humanity is under lockdown at the same time.
Consequences
Environmental consequences
A temporary drop in CO₂ emissions of about 6% in 2020.
Economic consequences
The worst global recession since 1945 and an explosion in public debt.
Political consequences
Messenger RNA vaccines are developed in less than a year; the WHO declares the global health emergency over in May 2023.
Spread
- Daegu (South Korea) · February 2020
- Iran · February 2020
- Lombardy · February 2020
- São Paulo · February 2020
- New York · March 2020
Further reading
Similar disasters
- Asian fluPandemic · Worldwide1957 – 1958
- “Spanish” fluPandemic · Worldwide1918 – 1920
- West African Ebola epidemicPandemic · West Africa2014 – 2016
- Plague of JustinianPandemic · Byzantine Empire541 – 549
In the rankings : The deadliest disasters in history No. 5The deadliest pandemics in history No. 4The costliest disasters in history No. 1
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