Aware of difference between the words Pandemic, Epidemic and Outbreak

The World Health Organization declared the spread of Coronavirus or COVID-19 as a pandemic. But most people are confused about the difference between a pandemic, an epidemic and an outbreak? The three words are quite different and mixing them would only add to confusion. The main difference between the three is the scale of the spread of the disease.

Outbreak:

In this case, the disease spread is on a small scale and unusual. The number of cases is usually small and the area that the disease covers is small as well.

For example, a case wherein around 10-20 kids in a class come down with a stomach flu is an outbreak.

New diseases give rise to outbreaks as it is immediately noticeable since the symptoms are new.

An outbreak



usually spurs health agencies into action regarding containing the outbreak.

Epidemic:

In this case, the disease is on a bigger scale and spreading.

An epidemic covers a much larger geographical area than an outbreak.

When the Coronavirus or COVID-19 cases started to come up outside Wuhan in China, it was noted that the Coronavirus outbreak was turning into a Coronavirus epidemic.

Pandemic:

In this case, the disease is on an international scale and out of control.

When an epidemic spreads to multiple countries, it is considered to be a pandemic. A pandemic is the highest level of global health emergency.

Coronavirus being declared a pandemic is a historic event.