definitions |
An outbreak is a sudden occurrence of a disease. An epidemic is a sudden occurrence of a group of illnesses of a similar nature that are derived from a common source, in excess of what normally be expected. A pandemic is a global disease outbreak. Diseases can start off as being just an outbreak, then affect so many people that it becomes an epidemic, then can turn into a pandemic.
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Phase 1 ~ No animal influenza virus circulating among animals has been reported to cause infection in humans
Phase 2 ~ An animal influenza virus circulating in animals is known to have caused infection in humans and is considered a potential pandemic threat
Phase 3 ~ An animal or human-animal influenza virus has caused sporadic cases or small clusters of disease in people, but has not resulted in human-to-human transmission sufficient to sustain community-level outbreaks
Phase 4 ~ Human-to-human transmission of an animal or human-animal influenza virus able to sustain community-level outbreaks has been verified
PANDEMIC
Phase 5 ~ The same identified virus has caused sustained community level outbreaks in two or more countries in one WHO region
Phase 6 ~ In addition from criteria from Phase 5, the same virus has caused sustained community-level outbreaks in at least one other country in another WHO region
Phase 2 ~ An animal influenza virus circulating in animals is known to have caused infection in humans and is considered a potential pandemic threat
Phase 3 ~ An animal or human-animal influenza virus has caused sporadic cases or small clusters of disease in people, but has not resulted in human-to-human transmission sufficient to sustain community-level outbreaks
Phase 4 ~ Human-to-human transmission of an animal or human-animal influenza virus able to sustain community-level outbreaks has been verified
PANDEMIC
Phase 5 ~ The same identified virus has caused sustained community level outbreaks in two or more countries in one WHO region
Phase 6 ~ In addition from criteria from Phase 5, the same virus has caused sustained community-level outbreaks in at least one other country in another WHO region
The current Ebola situation in West Africa started out as an outbreak, which initially only affected three countries.
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) killed about 774 people out of the 8,098 that were infected. It started as an outbreak in Asia and then spread to two dozen countries, taking the form of an epidemic. Ebola is also now considered an epidemic.
The 2009 flu pandemic killed approximately 18,449 people in 2014 countries between April 2009 and August 2010. H1N1 probably originated in Mexico, and within two months, it had spread to several countries across different continents, prompting the WHO to announce the highest alert level (phase 6, pandemic) in June 2009. Another example is HIV/Aids…which was considered one of the most destructive global pandemics in history.
Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a severe, often fatal illness in humans. EVD first appeared in 1976 in two simultaneous outbreaks in Central Africa. The most recent outbreak appeared in West Africa, and involved major urban as well as rural areas. The virus is transmitted to people from wild animals and spreads in the human population through human-to-human transmission. The average EVD case fatality rate is around 50%.
It is thought that fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family are natural Ebola virus hosts. Ebola is introduced into the human population through close contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected animals such as chimpanzees, gorillas, fruit bats, monkeys, forest antelope and porcupines found ill or dead or in the rainforest. Ebola then spreads through human-to-human transmission via direct contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected people, and with surfaces and materials (ie. clothing) contaminated with these fluids. People remain infectious as long as their blood contains the virus.
The current outbreak in West Africa (which started in March 2014) is the largest and most complex Ebola outbreak since the virus was first discovered.There have been more cases and deaths in this outbreak than in all others combined. It has spread to many other countries (ie. Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Nigeria, USA, and Mali. The most severely affected countries (Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone) have very weak health care systems, and lack human resources. On August 8th, 2014, the WHO declared the West Africa outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
It is thought that fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family are natural Ebola virus hosts. Ebola is introduced into the human population through close contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected animals such as chimpanzees, gorillas, fruit bats, monkeys, forest antelope and porcupines found ill or dead or in the rainforest. Ebola then spreads through human-to-human transmission via direct contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected people, and with surfaces and materials (ie. clothing) contaminated with these fluids. People remain infectious as long as their blood contains the virus.
The current outbreak in West Africa (which started in March 2014) is the largest and most complex Ebola outbreak since the virus was first discovered.There have been more cases and deaths in this outbreak than in all others combined. It has spread to many other countries (ie. Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Nigeria, USA, and Mali. The most severely affected countries (Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone) have very weak health care systems, and lack human resources. On August 8th, 2014, the WHO declared the West Africa outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
Ebola has quite an impact on people in affected areas, people that are diagnosed with Ebola, and their families/friends. For people in the affected areas, it would be a constant worry that they may contract the disease. They would also have to limit their contact to people in the area in order to try and not contract the disease. For people that are diagnosed with Ebola, they are not allowed contact with the outside world, and their lives must be put on hold. For the families and friends of people that either live in affected areas or are diagnosed with Ebola, it would be a scary time not knowing what was happening, and also seeing all of the scary news reports.
The world was shocked when a large outbreak of Ebola was documented. Everyone was concerned that it would travel to wherever they were, and then they thought that they would become infected. People were fearful that this would affect their ways of living, and that things would begin to shut down because of it. The public was concerned about the uncertainty of what was yet to come. There was a general sense of panic, although I do not think that the panic really set in until there were cases in the United States (which is fairly close to home).
The world was shocked when a large outbreak of Ebola was documented. Everyone was concerned that it would travel to wherever they were, and then they thought that they would become infected. People were fearful that this would affect their ways of living, and that things would begin to shut down because of it. The public was concerned about the uncertainty of what was yet to come. There was a general sense of panic, although I do not think that the panic really set in until there were cases in the United States (which is fairly close to home).