4. HIV/AIDS
Death toll: 35 million (estimated 29.6 – 40.8 million)
Years: 1981 – present
The first known case and most probable origin point of HIV was Kinshasa in 1920. The then capital of Belgian Kongo and an important railroad crossroad, the city saw over million people passing through annually, which helped the virus spread all over Africa. But it wasn’t until the early 1980s that the disease became known in the west after more and more cases were discovered in the United States. The epidemic officially started on June 5th, 1981. Since then, between 29.6 million and 40.8 million people have died from HIV-related illness. At the end of 1015, about 36.7 million people have been living with HIV.
Copyright: dolgachov / 123RF Stock Photo
