The Deadliest Epidemics in Belgian History - A timeline
Several major epidemics have hit Belgium over the past 200 years. Discover which were the deadliest.
What is an epidemic?
An epidemic happens when a disease spreads faster or affects more people than usual in a certain place and time. In other words, it’s when more people get sick than what’s normally expected in that area.
1832-1834
Cholera
The first cholera epidemic hit the young Belgian state and caused about 8.000 deaths.
1846-1847
Typhoid
A typhoïd epidemic, aggravated by the subsistence crisis, causes high mortality in West Flanders and Limburg. Approximately 12,000 people died.
1848-1850
Cholera
A big cholera outbreak causes about 23,000 deaths across the whole country.
1854-1855
Cholera
A third wave of cholera hits the country. This time, 7,500 people die.
1859
Cholera
Again, cholera causes devastation: 5,500 die.
1865
Smallpox
A severe smallpox crisis caused 5,800 deaths
1866
Cholera
This fifth wave of cholera ravaged the entire country and killed 43,000 people.
1871-1872
Smallpox
Another smallpox epidemic caused major excess mortality. 34,000 people died.
1883-1885
Cholera
A sixth wave of cholera hit the country and killed XXX
1892-1893
Cholera
The last cholera epidemic of the nineteenth century claimed 1,300 victims.
1918-1919
Spanish flu
The Spanish flu was responsible for an estimated 30,000 to 80,000 deaths in Belgium.
