Paris, Sept 25 (AFP/APP):The novel coronavirus pandemic, soon to pass the milestone of one million deaths, has a higher toll compared with other modern viruses although its ravages to date are far less than the Spanish flu a century ago. As the pandemic continues, the death toll from an AFP tally is only provisional, but it provides a reference point for comparing the new coronavirus with that of other viruses, past and present. 21st century viruses SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for Covid-19 infection, has been the deadliest of the 21st century viruses. In 2009, the H1N1 virus, or swine flu, caused a global pandemic and left an official death toll of 18,500. This was later revised upwards by the medical journal The Lancet, to between 151,700 and 575,400 dead. In 2002-2003, the SARS virus (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) that emerged from China was the first coronavirus to spark global fears, but killed just 774 people in the final toll. Flu epidemics The Covid-19 toll is often compared to that of deadly seasonal flu, though the latter rarely makes the headlines. Globally, seasonal flu accounts for up to 650,000 deaths, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). In the 20th century, … Continue reading Coronavirus and other deadly epidemics