Zaraza

Zaraza is a term derived from the Spanish word for "plague," and it has been used in various contexts throughout history. In the 16th century, it referred to the devastating epidemic of smallpox that swept through Europe and the Americas, causing widespread death and destruction. The term was also used to describe other contagious diseases, such as the Black Death, which was a bubonic plague that killed an estimated 75-200 million people in Eurasia and North Africa between 1347 and 1351.

In the 19th century, zaraza gained a more specific meaning in the context of the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). It was used to describe the spread of disease and the lack of medical care among the civilian population, particularly in the Republican-held areas. The term was also used to refer to the spread of disease and malnutrition among the civilian population during the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918-1920.

Today, the term zaraza is less commonly used, but it still carries a sense of dread and contagion. It is often used in a metaphorical sense to describe the spread of ideas, rumors, or negative emotions. For example, a person might say that a particular piece of news has spread like zaraza, meaning that it has quickly and widely disseminated.