The astrology of past pandemic/plagues is mixed. Finding a start date is tricky so what is below should be taken with a pinch of caution.
Most obvious was the Black Death of 1347-51 when outbreaks of Yersinia pestis Bubonic plague in Europe killed 30%-60% of the population, circa 100 million. It appeared to come from the east. French surgeon Guy de Chauliac suggested the March 1345 Solar Eclipse was to blame. At that point the Solar Eclipse was in late Pisces; with Mars Saturn Jupiter and Neptune in Aquarius. There was also a Uranus Pluto conjunction in Aries which caught the following Total Lunar Eclipse. That is a fairly classic signature with Saturn conjunct Neptune and a disruptive Uranus Pluto.
The Justinian Plague of AD 541/2, one of the deadliest pandemics in history, resulted in the deaths of an estimated 25–100 million people during two centuries of recurrence. It was similar to the Black Death and also came from the east. Neptune in Pisces was opposition Uranus and trine Saturn; with Uranus trine Pluto.
A prominently aspected Neptune occurs in many though not all instances of plagues. It isn’t much in evidence at the moment.
The Antonine Plague AD 165 was brought back from Roman troops returning from the east, thought to be measles or smallpox-related with a 25% mortality rate. Neptune in Scorpio was opposition Pluto and trine Uranus; with Pluto trine Saturn.
Neptune Pluto is devastating, often found alongside natural disasters; Neptune Uranus is highly-strung and anxious; Pluto Saturn is hardship.
The Plague of Athens 430BC, a typhoid-like plague kills up to a third of Athenians. Saturn in Scorpio was square Pluto and square Uranus; with the Uranus Pluto conjunction in Aquarius having occurred two or three years before. Neptune in Aries sextile Pluto.
Great Plague of London 1665. Another bout of the Bubonic plague which wiped out nearly a quarter of all Londoners and was followed by the Great Fire of London in 1666. Both Saturn and Neptune were in Capricorn; Uranus in Aquarius was trine Pluto in Gemini.
The Third Plague Pandemic in 1855 another bubonic plague outbreak starting in China and leading to more than 12 million deaths in India and China, with about 10 million killed in India alone. Neptune in Pisces squared Saturn in Gemini. Pluto and Uranus were both in Taurus.
Russian flu 1889-90, spread through the northern hemisphere in four months, claiming one million lives. Neptune was in a devastating conjunction to Pluto in Gemini; Saturn in Leo and Uranus in Libra.
Spanish flu 1918-19, kills at least 50 million people and infects a third of the world’s population. Saturn Neptune conjunct in Leo, Pluto in early Cancer and Uranus in late Aquarius.
Asian flu 1957-58, kills 1-2 million people worldwide. A vaccine is rapidly developed. Neptune in early Scorpio square Uranus, Saturn in Sagittarius and Pluto in late Leo.
SARS 2002-03, a form of coronavirus infects 8,096 people and causes 774 deaths — a mortality rate of almost 10%. The bleak Pluto in Sagittarius opposition Saturn is waning; as is the Uranus Neptune conjunction in Aquarius.
This is all a touch ghoulish but at least there’s hope nowadays of a vaccine appearing sometime and conditions aren’t as terrifying as they must have been during these earlier plagues.
Firstly, Solaia I am very sorry to hear about your friend. I hope you and your family are well and continue to stay safe.
Thank you everyone for your good wishes, although I feel a little guilty now as I’m really not that bad, it feels like some strange virus but also I’ve definitely had worse. Perhaps it is just something random, but don’t worry Marjorie, I know symptoms are symptoms and I’m not going anywhere for a few weeks. I am nothing like as bad as a friend of mine in London who has been bedridden for a week, unable to move (she is the same age as me). I am fine and relatively energetic one minute and falling asleep the next. My throat felt like I’d accidentally inhaled boiling water, but is better at the moment. While I’m not exactly a spring chicken any more, I have no underlying health problems, don’t smoke, not overweight, not super fit but reasonably active, so rather it’s me than anyone else who isn’t as lucky.
The sun is shining, we have a spacious garden for the children and today we got a Tesco delivery, (which feels like winning the lottery at the moment, so scarce are the slots 🙂 ) I am very fortunate indeed. My heart goes out to all of you that are worried, just because I have symptoms doesn’t mean I have the virus and doesn’t mean that you aren’t safe – my daughter goes to a Catholic school where it seems that everyone went back to the continent (Poland, Spain, Italy etc) during the Feb half term, because that is the cheapest holiday to travel (we live in an area that is notoriously over zealous for school attendance). If I do have it, those very specific circumstances are my best bet and I’m willing to bet they don’t apply to you.
Take care everyone, hope you have lots of good food and wine to keep you going 😉 I finally have time to catch up on Netfllix, this could be a once in a lifetime opportunity, recommendations welcome 😉
I have symptoms; dry throat, tickly cough, headache coming and going and waves of fatigue. Well, if it is hopefully I can get through it quickly and be immune, so I can be of some use. Just had last week the Venus/Uranus conjunction oppose my own natal Venus/Uranus conjunction on my asc/des axis, this isn’t quite what i expected of it, oh well 🙂
Gasps, we have the same Venus/Uranus. :-O I’m feeling pretty tired too, but I have pollen and dust allergy – luckily not astma, though -, and this tends to be a bad season for me. I’ve also been practising social distancing and been extra careful moving around since the first clusters in Italy were found. But I’m a bit worried for my daughter and husband, who have not been able to do all I’ve been doing.
Haha oh cool, I hope it’s been more fun for you, is yours on your descendant too? I actually get a closer pass next year, perhaps I’ll have a proper mid-life crisis then 😉
I have been in isolation for a week already as my daughter has been coughing non-stop (she’s fine otherwise), so I’m mostly annoyed that this could press the reset button on that. With school age children, it could be any number of viruses, so frustrating. We had a warning last month about Mumps going around again, I never had that as a child. The fatigue comes in waves, every few hours I literally cannot stay awake and my brain is definitely foggy – I keep making myself cups of tea, instantly forgetting about the one I left on the desk 1 minute earlier :/ (and I’ve just noticed that I posted this in the wrong place too, I thought I was in a general thread )
My Venus/Uranus is 6′ Scorpio 2nd house, a very tight conjunction, so I think this was the closest call I’ll ever get. That said, this conjunction did hit my SN. Interestingly, but not surprisingly, my personal finances have always been anti-cyclic, and this could be one of the better periods for me. Also, health wise, may have finally resolved a long term health issue
Tara, Solaia – wish both of you well. Have had some relatives and friends in the UK go down with the virus (believe it or not don’t know anyone here in Italy who has!) and thank goodness they have survived to tell the tale. Generally speaking they report it was hard going, has or is, taking longer to get better than with “normal” flu, but moving slowly towards that end. Age range between 43 and 65.
Replying above to Sarah C. Unfortunately, there was the first death of a person I knew in Italy for covid-19 Monday afternoon. Mother of two people who were in groups of friends I would have dinners, and very active in community (I think the family has a shop). Only 64-year-old.
Incidently, I also know two people who’ve tested positive here. They got it skiing in Austria. This is possibly the first time in my life I feel good about hating skiing, and even staying outdoors in cold.
Tara, Do recover quickly and stay still. We’re all reading people’s experiences of having caught the bug hoping if we follow suit it’ll be of some consolation. But it does sound tough going till you turn the corner. And then, as you say, you’ll most likely be immune.
Hope you get well soon and take care, Tara.
OMG, what is it with so many pandemic diseases starting in the east?
Mostly higher population density – this has been true since Anticity. “Spanish” flu however most likely started in Kansas, and H1N1 Epidemic of 2009 in Mexico.
I tried to post an article (has disappeared) on the origin of the “Spanish” flu in the coronavirus+economy article and it’s not likely Kansas.
Some News Corp-owned news outlets claim it’s from China as well. (Is Rupert Murdoch still bitter over his divorce?)
Dig, It went onto post below Coronavirus recession bringer.
Thank you for letting me know Marjorie! Thank you for the Anthony Fauci post as well. The December eclipse fell right on top of his sun. Hope he’ll stay strong & healthy.