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British medical photographer Janet Parker became the last recorded person to die from smallpox, leading to a debate on whether the virus should be preserved.
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1978 smallpox outbreak in the United Kingdom
Event resulting in the last known death from smallpox
In 1978, a smallpox outbreak in the United Kingdom led to the death of Janet Parker, a British medical photographer. She was the last person recorded to have died from this disease. Parker's illness and death were linked to two additional fatalities, prompting the government to…Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
Smallpox
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Smallpox was an infectious disease caused by Variola virus, which belongs to the genus Orthopoxvirus. The last naturally occurring case was diagnosed in October 1977, and the World Health Organization (WHO) certified the global eradication of the disease in 1980, making smallpox…Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
Smallpox virus retention debate
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The smallpox virus retention debate has been going on among scientists and health officials since the smallpox virus was declared eradicated by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1980. The debate centers on whether the last two known remnants of the Variola virus known to…Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)