On 5 June 1981, the US Centers for Disease Control published a report in its weekly bulletin describing five young gay men in Los Angeles with a rare lung infection, Pneumocystis pneumonia, and damaged immune systems. It was the first official description of what became known as AIDS. The virus that causes it, HIV, was identified in 1983 by Francoise Barre-Sinoussi and Luc Montagnier in Paris and by Robert Gallo in the US. The pandemic has killed over 40 million people, but antiretroviral treatments introduced in 1996 now allow people with HIV to live long lives.
Before and after
- 11 May 1981Death of Bob Marley
- 20 May 1981Birth of Iker Casillas
- 24 May 1981Discovery of Larissa
- 2 June 1981Establishment of Lençóis Maranhenses National Park
- 5 June 1981The first cases of AIDS are reported
- 7 June 1981Operation Opera
- 9 June 1981Birth of Natalie Portman
- 13 June 1981Birth of Chris Evans
- 10 July 1981Release of The Fox and the Hound
More in Earth & climate
- 1985The Antarctic ozone hole is discovered
- 26 December 20042004 Indian Ocean earthquake
- 2005Hurricane Katrina
- 12 January 20102010 Haiti earthquake
- 6 February 20232023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes
- 28 March 20252025 Myanmar earthquake
The era
This moment belongs to the Contemporary world (1945 CE to today), the world since 1945. You can also browse everything in the 20th century.