On Wednesday, the leader of the World Health Organization (WHO) had officially announced to the public the coronavirus outbreak as a pandemic, says a recent article.

Read also: COVID-19 Has Worsened, Says Health Officials

The First Coronavirus to Cause a Pandemic

According to the WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, this is the first time a coronavirus had caused a pandemic.

The coronavirus outbreak had devastated the United States of America, China, Italy, and more than a hundred nations. Also, it had ended the life of more than 4,000 people. This series of events involved with the COVID-19 had led to a decision to call it a public health emergency of global concern.

On the website of WHO, it described how an influenza pandemic happens. A flu pandemic is declared after the discovery and spread of a new influenza virus and most of the population does not have immunity to it.

According to WHO, the types of viruses causing pandemics in the past had originated from animal flu viruses.

Effects of the Announcement of the Coronavirus as a Pandemic

The announcement from WHO does not mean the methods of how WHO and other nations are fighting, controlling, and responding to the spread of the coronavirus will be affected, says Tedros.

The word pandemic should not be taken carelessly or lightly. Also, it can cause unreasonable fear when the word is improperly used. Additionally, if the word is used improperly, it can cause an unnecessary acceptance of understanding that the fight with the deadly virus is over.

Tedros encourages everyone that by doing the right things with calmness to protect the global population, the fight with the deadly coronavirus is "doable."

The Recent Pandemic before the COVID-19

In 2009, the swine flu was declared as a pandemic. The pandemic was caused by the H1N1 virus.

The 2009 pandemic was discovered in Mexico. The pandemic had taken the lives of more or less 200,000 people. Children and young adults were the ones who were badly hit by the H1N1 virus.

Comparing the Coronavirus to the H1N1 Virus

In comparison with the H1N1 virus, the majority of the deaths from the coronavirus were older adults with compromised health conditions.

As of Wednesday, the total confirmed cases of the coronavirus illness is more or less 120,000. The virus had already spread in 114 nations with a total of 4,373 deaths.

Difference between a Pandemic and an Outbreak

An epidemic is an outbreak of an illness occurring over a huge geographical area. It affects a significant portion of the population. Additionally, it is an illness continuously spreading.

On the other hand, a pandemic is a word describing a geographic widespread of an illness. Also, this disease is significantly affecting an entire nation or the entire world.

The difference between the two terms is important to understand, especially in understanding news affecting public health. Also, another importance of having an understanding of the differences between the two terms is to help direct the public health response.

With the appropriate responses to the disease, it can be properly controlled and prevented.