What is an Outbreak, Epidemic and Pandemic in Covid-19?

Covid-19, is not just a new virus in town but has introduced people to terminologies which they weren’t aware of. The virus introduced new lifestyle and habits to live by. The preventive measure of coronavirus paved wave to unique usage of words that people had to understand to live by. Covid-19 took to serious grounds with the high and easier chances of transmission.

Defining terms

Outbreak, according to Macmillan dictionary, is a sudden start of war, disease or violence. It may be a sudden rise of a disease or increase in number of harmful organism.

Epidemic, defined by Oxford dictionary, is a widespread occurrence of an infectious disease in a community at a particular time.  It is a happening where many people are effected.

Cambridge dictionary defines Pandemic as, a dangerous disease that infects many people at one time and causes more death. It is a condition where a disease exists in almost all the area or in almost all groups of people, animals and plants.  

An epidemic turn into a pandemic when the spread of a disease occurs over significant geographical areas and affects a larger set of population. Even creates more social disruption and economic loss.

Reference to Covid-19

Coronavirus became an outbreak when the virus spread from Wuhan, China to several countries in the world. Later, the disease was assumed to be an epidemic, confined to China. But, with the sustained person to person transmission, the virus outbreak took to more continents. Accordingly, on March 11, 2020, the World Health Organisation (WHO), declared Covid-19 as a pandemic because a new disease spread across the world.

Covid-19, a pandemic

The disease is declared as pandemic, not to scare people but to acknowledge of its global spread. The word ‘pandemic’ will allow national and global public health agencies to respond to the situation at a higher degree. It term will highlight the deadliness of the viral transmission, for which countries should work together to control the same.

The head of WHO, Tedros Adhananon Ghebreyesus, said, “The world should not fixate on the word ‘pandemic’. But to focus instead on five other ‘P’ beginning words or phrases”. They include, prevention, preparedness, public health, political leadership and people.

In case of sick or old aged person at home then apply the five ‘P’ element more cautiously. Prevent outdoor visit and prepare for your health living by purchasing medicines through any best medicine store online in India.

History repeats itself

Over the decades, the world has witnessed many outbreaks or pandemic. A disease categorised as a pandemic stays tagged to the human life from few months to few years. Some off the major pandemic include

·         Third Cholera Pandemic: 1852- 1860

·         Flu Pandemic: 1889- 1890

·         Sixth Cholera Pandemic: 1910- 1911

·         Influenza flu Pandemic: 1918

·         Asian Flu: 1956- 1958

·         Flu Pandemic: 1968

·         HIV AIDS Pandemic: 2005- 2012

Pandemic patrolling

Every country across the world must look deep into minute changes occurring in their respective nation to manage or control the impact of pandemic. Certain rules laid down might help.

·         Monitor the health status of state and community

·         The number of close contacts must be limited

·         The exposure budget must be managed

·         Activities that are at high risk of infection must be kept short, if not avoidable

·         Follow every pandemic precaution

Matter of concern

Pattern of pandemic and its durability varies more the virus or virus stain responsible for the disease. Some of the other factors include, knowledge about the virus to develop a vaccine, advancement level of medical science and man’s immunity or body strength to defend a new infection. So far, all the above factors are not addressed to fight the deadly contagious, coronavirus. The stages from UN health agency describing the outbreak of Covid-19 as an epidemic to WHO declaring it as pandemic, is an alarming factor.

Ending note

The solution happens to lie within our homes. A quote, ‘Prevention is better than cure’, holds more prominence as per date because no country has made successful approach in vaccine or drug discovery. Take your prescribed medicines and buy medicine online in Delhi. The perspective of explaining the terminologies is to keep the people or public alert but not really alarmed. Though, the detailed briefing seems too offensive, it purpose is to let everyone understand the seriousness of the situation and co-operate to bring the world to normalcy as soon as possible.