AN EPIDEMIC ESSAY
Outline :
- What an epidemic is
- Its causes
- How it spreads
- Epidemic versus pandemic
- Effects of epidemics on human society
- Its cure and prevention
An epidemic is the rapid spread of an infectious disease to a large number of people within a short period of time. In an epidemic, there are increasing numbers of cases of the same disease during a single period of time.
Throughout the course of history, epidemics have ravaged humanity. Plague, Chikungunya, Yellow fever, Influenza, Polio, AIDS, Swine Flu, Ebola, Covid-19, etc. are some of the examples of epidemics.
Owing to the rapid growth of the population on the earth, there is a greater possibility that the viruses of infectious diseases spread from one person to another.
We travel greater distances today than before. This allows the viruses to spread more rapidly. Weather and climate changes, as well as ecological imbalance, also cause infectious diseases to become epidemics.
The viruses of disease spread from one organism to another through physical contact or through food, water, air, etc.
Sometimes they spread from person to person mainly in droplets that fly out when one coughs or sneezes. Different viruses have different ways of transmission.
A disease can be declared an epidemic when it spreads over a wide area and many individuals are taken ill at the same time. If the spread escalates further an epidemic can become a pandemic that affects even a wider range of geographical areas and a significant portion of the population becomes affected. It is also said that a pandemic disease may be prevalent over a whole country or the world.
Recently the World Health Organisation officially changed its designation of Covid-19 the illness caused by a coronavirus, from an epidemic to a pandemic.
An outbreak of an epidemic causes severe health hazards to the people who suffer from it. In some cases, it causes the death of the patient. Fear and panic prevail all over the affected area.
Epidemics also affect the economy of a country. A lot of government money is spent on the medical treatment of the infected and to control the outbreak and spread of the epidemic.
Most infectious diseases can be cured and prevented through vaccines which are substances used to stimulate the production of antibodies and provide immunity against the disease.
Unless and until a vaccine is invented for infectious disease, all precautionary measures should be taken to remain away from the virus that causes the disease and care should be taken to increase immunity.
FAQ'S:
Ans:- An epidemic is the rapid spread of an infectious disease to a large number of people within a short period of time. In an epidemic, there are increasing numbers of cases of the same disease during a single period of time.
Q: When an epidemic spreads widely is known as
Ans:- A disease can be declared an epidemic when it spreads over a wide area and many individuals are taken ill at the same time.
Q: What is an epidemic disease example?
Ans:- Plague, Chikungunya, Yellow fever, Influenza, Polio, AIDS, Swine Flu, Ebola, Covid-19, etc. are some of the examples of the epidemic disease.