Who eradicated smallpox in 1980?
Who eradicated smallpox in 1980?
Almost two centuries after Jenner hoped that vaccination could annihilate smallpox, the 33rd World Health Assembly declared the world free of this disease on May 8, 1980.
When was smallpox eliminated in the US?
Routine vaccination of the American public against smallpox stopped in 1972 after the disease was eradicated in the United States.
How did the US get rid of smallpox?
“It was eradicated solely through vaccination. We do not really have any treatments even today for smallpox that are proven, tried and tested,” Glatt said. Though the U.S. discontinued smallpox immunization in 1972, immunization remains mandatory for U.S. military personnel deployed to smallpox-prone areas.
When was the last case of smallpox eradicated?
The last known natural case was in Somalia in 1977. In 1980 WHO declared smallpox eradicated – the only infectious disease to achieve this distinction. This remains among the most notable and profound public health successes in history.
Who contributed to the eradication of smallpox?
A major breakthrough for the eventual control of this disease was the discovery of an effective vaccine by Edward Jenner in 1796. In 1966 the World Health Assembly voted a special budget to eliminate smallpox from the world. At that time, smallpox was endemic in more than 30 countries.
Who led smallpox eradication?
The final leader in the global campaign to eradicate smallpox, J. Michael Lane, died of colon cancer on October 21 at the age of 84, multiple news outlets report.
When did smallpox start in America?
The New World of the Western Hemisphere was devastated by the 1775–1782 North American smallpox epidemic. Columbus’ first voyage to America can be attributed for bringing the smallpox virus to America and led to its spread across most of the continent of North America.
Why has smallpox been eradicated?
The eradication of smallpox is therefore a major success story for global health for several reasons: it was a disease that was endemic – and caused high mortality rates – across all continents; but was also crucial to advances in the field of immunology as the smallpox vaccine was the first successful vaccine to ever …
Why was smallpox eradication successful?
Several biological reasons favored the eradication of smallpox, the most important of which were probably that recurrent infectivity did not occur, that there was no animal reservoir, and that an effective stable vaccine was available.
What happened at the 1980 Winter Olympics hockey tournament?
The men’s ice hockey tournament at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, United States, was the 14th Olympic Championship. Twelve teams competed in the tournament, which was held from February 12 to 24. The United States won its second gold medal, including a win over the heavily favored Soviet…
What happened to the last victims of smallpox?
One of the patients died. The director of the laboratory committed suicide. These were smallpox’s last victims. In 1979, a global commission certified that smallpox had been eradicated, and this certification was officially accepted by the 33rd World Health Assembly in 1980.
What happened at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid?
Ice hockey at the 1980 Winter Olympics. The men’s ice hockey tournament at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, U.S.A., was the 14th Olympic Championship. Twelve teams competed in the tournament, which was held from February 12 to 24. The United States won its second gold medal, including a win over the heavily favored Soviet Union…
What is the Smallpox Eradication Program (SEP)?
The Smallpox Eradication Program (SEP) started by tackling some of the poorest countries, determined to score a psychological victory by showing smallpox could be eliminated even where health services were scant. This worked, and led to a major discovery: the disease could be removed without vaccinating every single person.
