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- Dictionarypandemic/panˈdɛmɪk/
noun
- 1. a widespread occurrence of an infectious disease over a whole country or the world at a particular time: "the impact of the pandemic caused loved ones to be separated and unable to meet in person"
adjective
- 1. (of a disease) prevalent over a whole country or the world. "pandemic diseases have occurred throughout history"
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The meaning of PANDEMIC is occurring over a wide geographic area (such as multiple countries or continents) and typically affecting a significant proportion of the population. How to use pandemic in a sentence.
- An epidemic is an outbreak of disease that spreads quickly and affects many individuals at the same time. A pandemic is a kind of epidemic: one whi...
- An outbreak is “a sudden rise in the incidence of a disease” and typically is confined to a localized area or a specific group of people. Should an...
- There have been a number of pandemics since the beginning of the 20th century: the H1N1 pandemic of 2009, the Spanish flu of 1918/19 (which did not...
A pandemic (/ pænˈdɛmɪk / pan-DEM-ik) is an epidemic of an infectious disease that has a sudden increase in cases and spreads across a large region, for instance multiple continents or worldwide, affecting a substantial number of individuals.
Aug 26, 2024 · pandemic, outbreak of infectious disease that occurs over a wide geographical area and that is of high prevalence, generally affecting a significant proportion of the world’s population, usually over the course of several months.
- Kara Rogers
- A pandemic is an outbreak of infectious disease that occurs over a wide geographical area and that is of high prevalence. A pandemic generally affe...
- Throughout history, there have been many deadly pandemics, but the Black Death and the influenza pandemic of 1918–19 rank among the most lethal. Th...
- Pandemics can be caused by several factors. For example, in some cases, a new strain or subtype of virus that first emerged in animals jumps to hum...
- Pandemics typically slow and come to an end on their own, though the process may be accelerated through effective preventive strategies, such as im...
PANDEMIC definition: 1. (of a disease) existing in almost all of an area or in almost all of a group of people, animals…. Learn more.
- Overview
- What is a pandemic?
- What is the difference between an epidemic and a pandemic?
- How do you prepare for a pandemic?
- Pandemics in the past century
- The takeaway
The current worldwide outbreak of COVID-19 has left many people with concerns about the spread of this new disease. Among those concerns is one important underlying question: What exactly is a pandemic?
The spread of the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, was officially defined as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11, 2020, due to its sudden emergence and expansion around the world.
According to the WHO, a pandemic is defined as the “worldwide spread of a new disease.”
When a new disease first emerges, most of us lack the natural immunity to fight it off. This can cause a sudden, sometimes rapid, spread of the disease between people, across communities, and around the world. Without a natural immunity to fight off an illness, many people can become sick as it spreads.
The WHO is responsible for announcing the emergence of a new pandemic based on how the spread of the disease fits into the following 6 phases:
•Phase 1. Viruses circulating among animal populations haven’t been shown to transmit to human beings. They’re not considered a threat and there’s little risk of a pandemic.
•Phase 2. A new animal virus circulating among animal populations has been shown to transmit to human beings. This new virus is considered a threat and signals the potential risk of a pandemic.
•Phase 3. The animal virus has caused disease in a small cluster of human beings through animal to human transmission. However, human to human transmission is too low to cause community outbreaks. This means that the virus places humans at risk but is unlikely to cause a pandemic.
Pandemic and epidemic are related terms used to define the spread of a disease:
•An epidemic is the spread of a disease in a community or region over a specific amount of time. Epidemics can vary based on the location of the disease, how much of the population has been exposed, and more.
Pay attention to news reports from health agencies
News updates from the WHO and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) can provide information on the spread of the disease, including how to protect yourself and your family during the outbreak. Local news can also keep you updated on new legislation that is being enforced during the pandemic.
Keep your house stocked with a 2-week supply of food and essentials
Lockdowns and quarantines may be enforced during a pandemic to slow or stop the spread of the disease. If possible, keep your kitchen stocked with enough food and essentials for about a 2-week period. Remember, there’s no need to stockpile or hoard more than you can use over 2 weeks.
Fill your prescriptions ahead of time
It can help to have medications filled ahead of time in the case that pharmacies and hospitals become overwhelmed. Keeping over-the-counter drugs can also help ease any symptoms you might experience if you contract the disease and need to self-quarantine.
1918 flu pandemic (H1N1 virus): 1918–1920
The 1918 influenza pandemic took the lives of anywhere from 50 to 100 million people around the world. The so-called “Spanish Flu” was caused by an H1N1 virus that spread from birds to humans. People ages 5 and younger, 20 to 40, and 65 and older all experienced high mortality rates. Overcrowding in treatment areas, poor sanitation practices, and nutritional deficiencies are thought to have contributed to the high death rate.
1957 flu pandemic (H2N2 virus): 1957–1958
The 1957 influenza pandemic took the lives of roughly 1.1 million people worldwide. The “Asian Flu” was caused by an H2N2 virus that also spread from birds to humans. This strain of the flu affected people primarily between the ages of 5 and 39, with the majority of cases occurring in younger children and teenagers.
1968 flu pandemic (H3N2 virus): 1968–1969
In 1968, the H3N2 virus, sometimes called “Hong Kong Flu,” was another influenza pandemic that took the lives of around 1 million people around the world. This flu was caused by an H3N2 virus that mutated from the H2N2 virus from 1957. Unlike previous flu pandemics, this pandemic primarily affected older people, who had the highest mortality rate of the outbreak.
When a new disease emerges, there is the possibility of a pandemic, which is worldwide spread of the disease. There have been multiple pandemic and epidemic outbreaks in recent history, including the 1918 influenza pandemic, the 2003 SARS-CoV outbreak, and most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic.
There are things we can all do to prepare for a possible pandemic outbreak, and it’s important that we all follow the appropriate steps to slow or stop the spread of the new disease.
a disease that exists in almost all of an area or in almost all of a group of people, animals or plants: The COVID-19 pandemic spread to the United Kingdom in late January 2020. an influenza pandemic. More examples. SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases.
Pandemic definition: (of a disease) prevalent throughout an entire country, continent, or the whole world; epidemic over a large area.. See examples of PANDEMIC used in a sentence.
