WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The World Health Organization, on March 11, 2020, declared COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus, a pandemic due to the alarming levels of spread and severity of the virus.
Pandemic refers to the worldwide spread of a new disease. The term pandemic is derived from the Greek word 'pandemos,' which means 'all the people'. In other words, pandemic refers to an epidemic that has spread over several countries or continents.
What is an epidemic?
Epidemic refers to a sudden increase in the number of cases of a disease in a geographic area, i.e., above what is normally expected in that population in that area.
As of this writing, 157 countries have been affected by the novel coronavirus.
Let's take a look at some of the flu pandemics in recent decades and the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.
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