In what year was the last natural case of smallpox documented?

The last natural case of smallpox was documented in 1977. This is because the World Health Organization (WHO) embarked on an extensive global vaccination campaign in the 1960s and 1970s, successfully eradicating smallpox from many countries. The final known case occurred in Somalia in 1977, involving a man named Ali Maow Maalin who contracted the disease but survived. This marked a significant milestone in the fight against smallpox, as it demonstrated the effectiveness of vaccination efforts and ultimately led to the declaration of smallpox eradication by the WHO in 1980.