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 healthrelated 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.
 It
What is the difference
between Epidemic and
Pandemic?
is not unusual for a new virus to spread
worldwide because if people have not
been exposed to the virus their immune
system are not ready to fight it off. This
causes more people to become infected.
 Swine flu stated 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.
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.
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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.