When did nearly 10,000 people perish from Yellow Fever in New Orleans?

The correct answer is 1853, a year marked by one of the deadliest Yellow Fever epidemics in New Orleans. During the summer of that year, an estimated 10,000 residents succumbed to the disease, causing immense devastation to the city and its population.

This epidemic significantly impacted the history of New Orleans, highlighting the vulnerability of urban areas to infectious diseases, especially in humid climates where mosquitos, the vectors of Yellow Fever, thrived. The scale of this outbreak led to a variety of public health responses and shaped the city's policies surrounding sanitation and disease prevention in subsequent years.

In contrast, while significant yellow fever outbreaks did occur in the other years listed, none reached the catastrophic level seen in 1853. The 1794 and 1820 outbreaks had fewer fatalities, and the 1803 outbreak was significant but not at the same scale as that of 1853. Thus, identifying 1853 as the year of such high mortality underscores the severity and impact of Yellow Fever in New Orleans' history.