1978 smallpox outbreak in the United Kingdom

In 1978, a smallpox outbreak in the United Kingdom led to the death of Janet Parker, a British medical photographer. She was the last person recorded to have died from this disease. Parker's illness and death were linked to two additional fatalities, prompting the government to establish the Shooter Inquiry. This official investigation, conducted by a panel of experts headed by microbiologist R.A. Shooter, led to significant reforms in the study of dangerous pathogens in the UK.