On this day May 8, 1980, the World Health Organization officially declared that smallpox had been eradicated, marking one of the greatest achievements in medical history. Once one of the deadliest diseases known to humanity, smallpox killed millions over centuries and left survivors with permanent scars and blindness.
The announcement came after an intensive global vaccination campaign that reached even the most remote parts of the world. Smallpox remains the only human disease to be eradicated through scientific effort and international cooperation.
Fun fact: The last known natural case of smallpox occurred in Somalia in 1977, just three years before the eradication was confirmed.
The announcement came after an intensive global vaccination campaign that reached even the most remote parts of the world. Smallpox remains the only human disease to be eradicated through scientific effort and international cooperation.
Fun fact: The last known natural case of smallpox occurred in Somalia in 1977, just three years before the eradication was confirmed.
