What is Epidemic and Pandemic?
Epidemic:
The process of rapidly spreading infectious diseases within a short period of time into a large number of people in a given population and spread over to several countries or continents, is known as Epidemic. From a Greek word an epidemic is derived, which refers to upon or above people. bubonic plague, cholera, influenza, Smallpox are some of the common examples of Epidemics.
Pandemic:
The worldwide spreading of a new disease is known as pandemic. A larger version of an epidemic, a pandemic. In other words, it is known as a pandemic, when an epidemic goes out of control. It is likely to be a pandemic, if an epidemic covers many countries spreading through continents. There are different types of pandemics. One of the best examples for the most destructive global pandemics in history is HIV or AIDS.
The pathogenic or harmful microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses and other parasites that can spread, directly or indirectly, from one person to another through the air, water, and other modes of transmissions, these are the main cause of epidemic and pandemic.
Humans do begin to develop some immunity after a pandemic emerges, and spreads, but this takes time. The virus subtype can then circulate among humans for several years, leading to occasional epidemics.
Epidemic Vs Pandemic
Fun Facts
An epidemic is something that belongs to a particular person or country. The spread of pandemic over multiple countries or continents is an epidemic.
When a new virus strain or subtype becomes easily transmittable between humans, or by bacteria that become resistant to treatment with antibiotics, then a pandemic is caused.
Epidemic is often used broadly to describe any problem that has grown out of control. During an epidemic, the disease is actively spreading.
An epidemic is an outbreak of a disease that spreads quickly and affects many people at the same time. An outbreak occurs when there is a sudden increase in the number of cases of a disease, like COVID -19.
When an epidemic spreads over significant geographical areas and affects a large percent of the population then it becomes a pandemic. In short, an epidemic on a national or global level, is a pandemic.
An Example of epidemic diseases is the West African Ebola, and an example of pandemic diseases are HIV AIDS, Asian Influenza and Cholera.
The 1918 Spanish flu, the measles outbreak from 1981 to 1991, and a 2014 cases of whooping cough are some examples of an epidemic that took place in the past.
Various agencies around the world, such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), monitor the behaviour and movement of viruses, and keep under control the outbreaks of disease.
FAQs on Difference Between Epidemic and Pandemic
1. What is an Epidemic?
The process of rapidly spreading infectious diseases within a short period of time into a large number of people in a given population and spread over to several countries or continents, is known as Epidemic. From a Greek word an epidemic is derived, which refers to upon or above people. bubonic plague, cholera, influenza, Smallpox are some of the common examples of Epidemics.
2. What is the Definition of Pandemic?
Usually affecting a large number of people is defined as a pandemic, an epidemic occurring worldwide, or over a very wide area, crossing international boundaries.
The temperate southern and northern hemispheres occur annually in each of, given that seasonal epidemics cross international boundaries and affect a large number of people, pandemics can be said by this definition. However, seasonal epidemics are not considered pandemics.
A pandemic disease is also used as a noun meaning pandemic. A pandemic is more specifically being defined as a pandemic as “a worldwide spread of a new disease”. The COVID-19 outbreak has been declared as a pandemic officially by the WHO on march 11 due to the global spread and severity of the disease.
3. What Causes Pandemics?
When a new virus strain or subtype becomes easily transmittable between humans, or by bacteria that become resistant to treatment with antibiotics, then a pandemic is caused.
Sometimes, pandemics are caused simply by a new ability for the disease to spread rapidly, this was the case with the Black Death in the 14th century.
Humans may have little or no immunity to a new virus. A new virus does not have to be able to spread from person to person, but if it changes or mutates, it can easily begin to spread. In this case, a pandemic may occur. In the case of the flu, seasonal outbreaks (or epidemics) are usually caused by subtypes of a virus that is already circulating among a population.
