Epidemic and Pandemic Disease Outbreaks

How do we define an Epidemic? An epidemic is an out break of disease that affects many individuals at the same time.

What is an Epidemic? An epidemic is any illness or health-related issue that is showing up in more cases then would normally be expected. It occurs when an infections disease spreads rapidly to many people. In 2003, the severe acute respiratory syndrome(SARS) epidemic took the lives of nearly 800 people.

How do we define a Pandemic? A pandemic is an outbreak of disease that affects a large group (whole country or worldwide)

What is the difference between Epidemic and Pandemic? Pandemic normally is used to indicate a far higher number of people affected than an epidemic. Pandemic also refers to a much larger region being affected. In the most extreme case, the entire global population would be affected by a pandemic.

What is the difference between Epidemic and Pandemic? It is not unusual for a new virus to spread worldwide because if people have not been exposed to the virus their immune system is not ready to fight it off. This causes more people to become infected. Swine flu started in Mexico City where it was feared to lead to epidemic proportions in North America, now that the flu has been found in New Zealand, Israel, Scotland and many other countries it is a pandemic.

Extras Antibiotics are used to treat Bacteria not Viruses. If you use too many antibiotics you can become antibiotic resistant. Vaccines are used to prevent the spread of viruses not all viruses have a vaccine to help prevent. The flu virus can mutate from year to year therefore doctors suggest you get a flu vaccine each year.

What is the difference between Epidemic and Pandemic? The 1918 Spanish flu and the Black Plague are extreme examples of pandemics. Pandemic doesn’t mean millions of deaths, it means a geographically widespread. Micro Killers: Super Flu