An astrological history of major epidemics, and when is the next pandemic likely?

There have been several questions to me in recent days after a small outbreak of the Andes strain of hantavirus family on a cruise ship, asking if a bigger outbreak is imminent. Some astrologers are talking of the recent Neptune-Saturn conjunction and scaring people. Hence, I thought to write this post in a very self-evident fashion, as I usually do: no unnecessary words, no spin, no cherrypicking, just facts. I show the charts for a lot of major disease spread events in the world, right from Antiquity till modern day: hopefully, this helps even the novice astrologer to be confident in understanding disease patterns.

First things first, I do not expect any major disease outbreak at a pandemic or major epidemic level in 2026 or 2027. The story changes in 2029 (and maybe a year before that): I discuss at the end of this post in detail the year 2029 and beyond. But now is the time to have a look at some of the patterns I have identified, and then to look at charts of past pandemics and epidemics to see how they play out. This is a long post, as I have covered almost every major epidemic and pandemic of world history: I do not believe in cherrypicking to suit a narrative.

A brief note on method

All charts discussed below show the Aries ingress moment of the year in which the disease became sufficiently prominent or started, or of the present year or a future year. In the tradition of Arab astrologers, who would often take Ujjain (India) as the center of the inhabitable world when they had to predict world events, I take Ujjain as the location for all the charts shown (even if an epidemic is happening in Japan or Mexico): the objective being to be able to see predictive patterns, rather than be delusional with hindsight. The more simple you keep things, the better you will see things: introduce complexity only when indispensable.

Patterns identified

Primary (necessary and also often sufficient in itself, but support of some secondary patterns desirable):

• Pluto plays a major role in major epidemics and pandemics: it is almost always in hard aspects or grand trine with the outer planets, or in hard aspect with Mercury or Chiron.

Secondary (only reinforcing, not sufficient, that is, primary pattern given above has to be satisfied first):

• The Nodes are also identified as important, often prominent.
• The 12th house, or its lord, is often seen to be strongly affected or prominent in the charts; occasionally (and alternatively), the sign of Leo occupies the 12th house, or the 12th house lord is Mercury in the sign of Aries.
• Neptune-Saturn aspects (especially opposition) or Mars-Saturn aspects, can indeed sometimes play a role, but only as a reinforcing role regarding the severity of the epidemic, not as the primary correlator, which remains Pluto.
• Moon's tight aspects with malefic, especially Saturn, are also seen sometimes, especially significant when Moon occupies the 12th house.

Now let us look at different Aries ingress charts, in chronological order.

Charts

Plague of Athens:

Notice the tight Saturn-Pluto square, with Mars also in loose square to Pluto. The 12th house is occupied by the South Node and by the sign of Leo.

The plague killed around 25% of Athens' population.

Antonine Plague (the Plague of Galen):

Notice the tight Neptune-Pluto opposition. 12th house lord is in detriment. North Node is conjunct Mercury.

The plague affected the Roman Empire, including the Roman army. Probably 10% to 15% of the empire's population died.

Plague of Cyprian:

Note the tight Pluto-Mars square. The plague affected again the Roman empire, including Alexandria (Egypt) strongly: that Venus is affected by this Pluto-Mars square, is retrograde and in detriment is not thus a surprise. The South Node is conjunct Saturn, and the aforementioned, debilitated Venus is the 12th house lord.

Plague of Justinian:

In the year 541, Pluto is in a loose square with Jupiter; and peregrine Saturn afflicts the 12th house. Nodes occupy angular houses. The plague was first reported from Egypt, with Venus again again afflicted, this time by opposition to the aforementioned Saturn. In year 542's ingress chart, when the plague reached Constantinople, before ravaging Europe and Christian world, Pluto is in a very tight grand trine with Jupiter and Uranus, while 12th house lord, a peregrine Saturn, is retrograde.

The plague was very deadly, and historically very important, preventing the reemergence of a united Roman Empire.

Japanese smallpox epidemic:

Yet again, Pluto is in a quite tight grand trine with Uranus and Saturn, and in fact, with looser orbs, Mars and Neptune, too, are involved in this trine. In fact, this happens soon after a Neptune-Saturn conjunction, but as I said, Neptune-Saturn conjunction by itself has no meaningful correlation to major disease outbreaks. The 12th house is occupied by Moon in fall, which is further impacted by a peregrine Saturn in opposition, also the lord of the 12th.

The strong epidemic killed one-third of the Japanese population!

As an aside, given that the chart location is Ujjain, and thus chart for Delhi won't be too different, the proximity of Pluto to the Midheaven would indicate that there may have been a change of ruler in Delhi around this time: the Tomaras began their rule in what is today's Delhi and Haryana at this time, succeeding the powerful Pratihara dynasty.

Bidar waba:

Note the Pluto-Mars tight conjunction, which is in a loose opposition to Saturn. The 12th house is occupied by the South Node, and its lord, Mars, is afflicted by the conjunction with Pluto.

This was a more localised outbreak, but with strong number of casualties, including in the royal army: I wanted to check if even relatively smaller outbreaks show such patterns.

Ilkhanate Plague:

This is the very next year to the preceding Bidar waba, and note how Mars has covered ground, from the preceding Mars-Pluto conjunction to now a very tight Mars-Pluto opposition! In fact, it is even in retrograde motion, and it is also the 12th house lord.

The Ilkhanate suddenly collapsed in 1335, after what is suspected to be a heavy outbreak of plague, probably one of the first events of a series of plague-heavy years bringing what is called as the Black Death.

Black Death reaches the Golden Horde:

Pluto is in a loose square with Mars, which will be perfected during the year. The very same Mars is the 12th house lord, in fall and in the 8th house of death. The 12th house is occupied by the Moon in fall, which is applying in a square to Saturn. Nodes occupy angular houses.

The reaching of the plague till the Golden Horde would have strong consequences for both the transmission of Black Death as much as the history of the world: while Black Death would reach the Mediterranean, Mongol power would eventually finish, enabling Russia to rise and become powerful.

Smallpox epidemic in the Caribbean and Mexico:

Pluto and Saturn are in loose-orbed conjunction, with the conjunction having perfected itself not too far ago. Nodes are in angular houses, once again. The 12th house is occupied by the sign of Leo.

The smallpox is initially reported among the enslaved Africans in the mines of Hispaniola, before spreading in nearby areas, notably causing a large number of deaths in Mexico as well.

As an aside, one notices the close conjunction of Jupiter with the Ascendant, and in tight trine with Venus, and thus, remembering Ujjain in India is our location, there must have been an important Muslim dynasty established in that year in a location not far from Ujjain. The Qutb Shahi dynasty, also known as the Sultanate of Golconda, was established indeed in 1518. The capital Golconda gives almost the same chart. That Jupiter, even if powerful here, is in detriment in the sign of Virgo indicates that the Qutb Shahis, even though they would enjoy a long reign, would be in constant conflict with neighbouring states.

Cocoliztli epidemic of 1545:

Pluto is in a loose-orbed square with Mars, while 12th house occupant Moon applies to a retrograde Uranus. Lord of the 12th is a stationary Saturn.

Lasting only around a year, it is considered one of the deadliest epidemics in human history: up to 80% of the Indigenous population, that is, up to 15 million people, died in New Spain (today's Mexico, California and some nearby areas).

Venice plague of 1575:

The 1570s would bring several major outbreaks of disease in different parts of the world. Here, Pluto is in square with Neptune (from the 12th house) and in conjunction with Mercury, the 12th house lord. Moon, the ruler of the Ascendant, is applying to Saturn in a square.

One-third of Venice's inhabitants are said to have died between 1575 and 1577 as a result of the plague. Again, this is a rather localised outbreak: I also studied some localised outbreaks, as I said earlier, to judge how well the patterns hold. However, these patterns will not hold in every localised outbreak, which can be too many and which need further analyses taking into account significators of the local region, city or land. For example, the city of Venice is associated with the sign of Cancer, which is strongly in play here, and its ruler afflicted.

Cocoliztli epidemic of 1576:

Pluto in a square with Mars again, just like the cocoliztli epidemic of 1545, but this time a very tight square. A Neptune-Saturn opposition also reinforces the chart's malefic nature. 12th house lord is Mercury in the sign of Aries.

Another very deadly occurred, killing an estimated half of the Indigenous population of New Spain. As an aside, the Neptune-Saturn opposition and their angular positions in the Ujjain chart portend major events for India in the year. The Mughals, indeed, will consolidate their rule in India, with the native ruler Maharana Pratap losing the Battle of Haldighati, and thereafter the Mughals also defeating the Bengal Sultanate, with Bengal becoming part of the Mughal empire. One sees the sign of Libra prominent in the malefic chart, and the sack of Antwerp, a city associated with the sign of Libra, would happen in this year, the worst ever massacre in the history of the Low Countries.

Lombardy plague:

Pluto is in loose-orbed opposition to a retrograde Saturn. Moon, in fall, applies to this same Saturn in a conjunction, though it does apply to Mars first in a tight trine. For a change, the 12th house ruler is doing fine, overall, here: located in its own domicile, though located in a cadent house.

The plague seemed to have already started in 1629, but reached its peak in 1630 and 1631, killing roughly 35% of northern Italy's population. December 1629 had seen Neptune-Saturn conjunction, with Pluto in sign-based opposition. As an aside, notice the almost-exact conjunction of Neptune with the Midheaven: now this would usually signify conspiracy against the ruler, but rarely also a significant artistic project being catapulted in public view. The Taj Mahal started to be built in 1631. Neptune here, of course, then is also exactly opposite to the 4th house cusp, signifying troubles for crops and those who work the land. An estimated 4 million died in 1631 because of famine in Gujarat and Ahmednagar, leading many people to even become cannibals! Overall, more than 7.4 million died during 1630-1632. (It is astonishing, and bone-chilling, that a king would think of spending money on Taj Mahal amidst all this suffering!)

Great Plague of Vienna:

Notice the tight square of Pluto with Uranus-Jupiter conjunction. That Uranus-Jupiter conjunction also includes Venus, the ruler of the sign of Libra, the natural signifier of the land of Austria and the city of Vienna. No wonder the plague ravaged Vienna. The 12th house is occupied by the sign of Leo.

The plague is reported to have caused at least 76,000 deaths in the city of Vienna. Another localised outbreak included in this study. As an aside, notice the tight conjunction of the Midheaven with a peregrine Saturn, which is in tight trine with Neptune, indicating trouble for Delhi's rulers. The year 1679 will see the beginning of the almost 28-year-old Rathore rebellion against Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, which would eventually finish with the death of Aurangzeb in 1707.

Great Northern War plague:

Pluto is in tight opposition to Mars and loose-orbed conjunction with Uranus, while Nodes occupy angular houses. Moon is applying to Saturn in a square aspect. 12th house lord is Mercury in the sign of Aries.

The plague ravaged for several years areas around the Baltic Sea, with its peak during 1708-1712: after all, Uranus-Pluto conjunction is only set to tighten further after 1708. Again, look at the Ascendant: Livonia and Estonia, which were prominently ravaged by the plague, are naturally signified by the sign of Libra.

Persian Plague:

Pluto is yet again in a tight opposition with Mars. To make matters much worse, Pluto is also in a grand trine with Uranus and Neptune. And this Neptune is in a loose-orbed conjunction with Saturn. Nodes occupy angular houses. 12th house lord is Mercury in the sign of Aries.

The 1772-1773 Persian plague is one of the deadliest epidemics of world history, leading to the death of around 2 million people! With so many reinforcing elements in the chart, this is not a surprise. That it occurred in Iran is not a surprise seeing that Venus is badly afflicted by Saturn.

Australia smallpox epidemic:

Pluto opposes a loose Mars-Jupiter conjunction, while Nodes occupy angular houses. 12th house lord Moon is afflicted strongly by a tight square aspect with Moon.

The 1789-1790 smallpox epidemic in Australia had a severely high death rate from 50% to 90% among the Aboriginal people in the Sydney-South Australia region. Another localised outbreak studied.

1817-1824 Cholera Pandemic:

In the 1817 chart, note the tight Pluto-Neptune square, with Uranus in a loose-orbed square. Nodes occupy angular houses. In the 1820 chart, there is now a tight Pluto-Uranus square, with Neptune in an out-of-sign square. The 12th house is occupied by South Node.

The disease spread far and wide, in most parts of Asia, but also in East Africa, and caused a huge death toll, particularly in India.

1846-1860 Cholera Pandemic:

Pluto is in a tight aspect of opposition to Chiron, while 12th house ruler is in detriment as well as afflicted by Pluto through conjunction.

The pandemic would spread in many places of the world, including in the United States. In Russia, between 1847 and 1851, more than 1 million people died as a result of the disease.

Russian flu:

Pluto is squared by a Mercury in detriment and fall and is in a loose-orbed, out-of-sign conjunction with Neptune in 1889, while 12th house ruler is in fall. In 1890, the Pluto-Neptune conjunction would be in-sign.

The pandemic killed around 1 million people in the world, with Russia affected in particular.

1894 Hong Kong Plague:

An outbreak of plague first occurred in the neighbouring city of Guangzhou in January 1894, thus in the Aries ingress 1893 period, before the plague moved on to Hong Kong. Notice tight Pluto-Neptune conjunction, in trine with retrograde Saturn. The North Node is conjunct Jupiter, and to which 12th house lord Moon is also conjunct.

The plague had a high mortality rate. Another localised outbreak studied.

Spanish flu:

Pluto is in a loose-orbed conjunction with Saturn and loose-orbed square with Jupiter. Nodes occupy angular houses. 12th house ruler is in detriment as well as cadent house. Moon is applying to Uranus.

The 1918-1920 was a significantly deadly flu pandemic, affecting large parts of the world, with its earliest cases recorded in the United States. It infected one-third of the world, and estimates of deaths range from 17 million to 100 million! India was one of the worst affected lands in this pandemic.

Russia typhus epidemic:

Pluto is in a loose-orbed square with Mercury, while 12th house lord Moon is afflicted by a tight sextile aspect to Mars (separating, however, rather than applying). The 12th house itself is occupied by malefic Pluto.

The typhus epidemic is estimated to have caused 2–3 million deaths out of 20–30 million cases in Russia between 1918 and 1922.

Asian flu:

Pluto is in a loose-orbed conjunction with Jupiter. 12th house is occupied by Neptune, in tight square with Uranus. Moon is applying to malefic Mars through opposition.

The first case started in 1956 in Guizhou, and soon, even before ingress year 1957 could start, the cases had spread all over China. The outbreak lead to tens of thousands of deaths.

Hong Kong flu:

Pluto is in a loose-orbed conjunction with Uranus, with both of them occupying the 12th house, whose lord is in detriment and fall. Nodes occupy angular houses. Moon applies to Pluto.

The pandemic killed between 1 and 4 million people globally, during 1968-1970.

AIDS pandemic:

AIDS is estimated to have been circulating before 1981, but it is in 1981 that the first case was recorded, thus the chart here is a bit of an outlier. Pluto is in a sign-based conjunction with a Jupiter-Saturn conjunction, all three of them occupying the 12th house and in opposition to Mars. Nodes occupy angular houses. Moon is applying to Mars.

Since the first case of HIV/AIDS reported in 1981, this virus continues to be one of the most prevalent and deadliest pandemics worldwide.

Covid-19:

In the 2019 chart, note Pluto-Saturn conjunction, occupying the 12th house along with South Node, and in tight trine with Mars in detriment. 12th house ruler is Saturn itself, afflicted by Pluto and Mars here. In the 2020 chart, an almost exact Mars-Jupiter conjunction (with Jupiter in fall, and Mars being the 12th house ruler) conjuncts Pluto, whose conjunction with Saturn still persists, though more loose-orbed than before.

I hope you would have realised that, overall, the pattern holds. However, it is still not easy to always predict the exact year of a major epidemic or pandemic, given that sometimes things will happen when an aspect is more loose-orbed rather than tight-orbed. However, using the reinforcing elements that I have given, one can still try.

Future

Let us see this year, given the hantavirus concerns of some people, and a couple of years down the line. Again, we keep Ujjain as the location.

Year 2026:

I don't see any hard aspects of Pluto at all. Malefics Pluto, Neptune and Uranus (out of sign) are connected in soft aspects to each other, but these are sextiles, not trines. Thus, at best a minor outbreak may be judged. Among reinforcing factors, South Node does occupy 12th house, and 12th house ruler is a stationary Mercury in cadent house as well as fall and detriment, and which is at the contra-antiscion of Moon. Thus, all the reinforcing aspects are strongly there, but I don't see the primary, sufficient condition. Hence, I judge that a minor outbreak is likely: that is, it could expand a little bit more. However, I don't see it becoming a major epidemic or pandemic in this year.

Year 2029:

Now, here in the Year 2029-30, Pluto is in a grand trine with Uranus and retrograde Mars and Pluto is in a square with Saturn-Chiron conjunction. Not only that, Neptune is in opposition to Mars and, thus, makes a midpoint of Pluto and Uranus. Thus, the primary condition is emphatically met! Usually this should be sufficient in itself to indicate a major epidemic in some part of the world or even a pandemic. But, to verify further, let's see if it is supported by reinforcing conditions as well.

We see that Nodes occupy angular houses, and 12th house ruler is in fall and detriment as well as in cadent house.

Thus, my conclusion is that the Year 2029-30 is highly likely to see a major epidemic or pandemic. Now, of course, it could happen that the epidemic starts a bit low-key in 2029, but strengthens and spreads in 2030, just like it happened with Covid-19 or the 1956-58 Asian flu. It could also happen that the epidemic starts in 2028-29, or even earlier with some cases that are not paid much attention to earlier, but picks up greatly during 2029-30. But, in short, the time around 2029-30 (late March 2029 to late March 2030 period) presents a very strong case for a major epidemic or even pandemic.

Now, an epidemic could last several years, especially if it has become a pandemic. It is difficult to judge how long an epidemic may last from the astrological charts. At least, it would need further research from me. However, let me see the chart for 2034, five years down the line.

Year 2034:

Pluto is in a tight square to Mars, and the Nodes are angular. There is also a loose-orbed Neptune-Saturn conjunction in play. Moon is applying to Uranus in a square aspect. 12th house ruler, once again, is in fall and detriment as well as in cadent house.

Thus, it seems that 2034 is also seeing an epidemic or pandemic. Is the 2029 one continuing for several years, and thus 2034 showing a spurt or spread in new location, or is it an altogether different epidemic? I don't know.

By the way, do note a long-term prediction I had made back in April 2026: that I expect biological weapons to be used in 2026-2033 period. The 2029 and/or 2034 epidemics that loom on the horizon could be connected to this.

If you would like to support my work, which is based on facts and data rather than on spinning yarns, and which prefers concrete predictions rather than hindsight views, please support me by upgrading to a paid subscription or making a donation.

Note: Regularly updated lists of some of my successful predictions in the past can be found here. They include Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's assassination and the U.S.-Israel-Iran war's beginning date, popular unrest in Iran, Brown University and Bondi Beach mass shootings, India's trade troubles with the U.S. and worsening economy, the Twelve-Day War, the timing of India's missile strikes on Pakistan, the death of Pope Francis, Trump win, Japanese, French, Indonesian, Thai and South Korean politics in the recent past, several elections correctly called, and numerous earthquakes, accidents and other disasters (such as the UPS plane crash in Kentucky, the Switzerland, Hong Kong, Dhaka, and Ōita fires, or the Japan, Shigatse, and Kamchatka big earthquakes).

All charts drawn courtesy Aspectarian.com.

Forward to a friend and let them know about how they can subscribe. (Hint: It's here.) For weather & earthquake predictions, head over here. For my palmistry page, you may go here.

Maybe you happen to know some journalist or influencer? Do not be hesitant to forward to them this content!

And do you happen to know of events that matched my predictions? Email me the details of this event!

And if you want me to increase the range of the countries and types of predictions I cover, as well as their accuracy (notably regarding dates of events), one of the best ways is to make a generous donation if you can afford it. It would be greatly appreciated as very few astrologers practise mundane astrology.

Keep reading, keep supporting!

Disclaimer: The predictions or interpretations provided on this website (palmistankur.com) and/or in any email newsletter associated with this website for any individual, region, country, political group or party, organisation or business or for anything else are for entertainment purpose only. This includes predictions or interpretations about corporate firms and/or their stock prices and/or the future of a political party, individual, ruler and/or government. Nothing is guaranteed to happen: astrology is a probabilistic science, not a deterministic science. Services offered by Palmist Ankur or any content published by Palmist Ankur are NOT a recommendation or solicitation to buy or sell any securities, commodity, bonds or any other financial instruments. Services offered by Palmist Ankur or any content published by Palmist Ankur are NOT a recommendation or solicitation to cancel or make any modifications to travel or hotel bookings, travel or transportation plans, etc. While the information that Palmist Ankur provides you is with aims to serve as a guide, it does not replace professional advice. By subscribing to the content of this website or purchasing any other type of service, you fully agree and understand this and waive Palmist Ankur off any responsibility and liability from this event and its outcome. Palmist Ankur is not responsible for any injury, loss, death, inconvenience, delay, or damage to person or property in connection with the provision of any goods or services. Read Terms & Conditions in full for the usage of this website and its offered services here.