Smallpox eradication

Smallpox eradication was a global health effort to eliminate the deadly disease caused by the variola virus. Through widespread vaccination, surveillance, and rapid response to outbreaks, health organizations successfully contained and prevented the spread of the virus. The key was identifying and vaccinating everyone at risk, along with strict quarantine measures during outbreaks. After extensive efforts from the 1950s, the World Health Organization officially declared smallpox eradicated in 1980, making it the first human disease to be completely wiped out. This achievement demonstrated how coordinated international cooperation and vaccination programs can eliminate a dangerous infectious disease.