The 1675–76 Malta plague epidemic is a major outbreak of plague (Maltese: pesta) on the island of Malta, ruled by the Order of St John.
It occurs between December 1675 and August 1676 and it results in approximately eleven thousand three hundred deaths, making it the deadliest epidemic in Maltese history.
Most deaths are in the urban areas including the capital Valletta and the Three Cities, and these have a mortality rate of about forty-one percent.
In the rural settlements, the mortality rate is six point nine percent.
The exact cause of the outbreak remains uncertain, but infected merchandise from North Africa seems to be a likely source since the disease first appears in the household of a merchant who has goods from Tripoli.
The epidemic spreads rapidly and efforts to contain it are poor, in part due to disagreements on whether the disease is actually plague or not.
Eventually strict measures are taken and the epidemic subsides after eight months.
