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Outbreak

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An outbreak of an illness occurs when there is an increase in the number of people who live in the same area and are infected around the same time by an organism such as a virus or bacteria. Some examples include COVID-19, flu, or measles.

Organisms can spread through the air, water, or food. Specific organisms passed to people from insects or rodents can cause outbreaks too. These outbreaks usually do not spread much beyond the region where the rodents or insects live.

Current as of: October 24, 2023

Author: Ignite Healthwise, LLC Staff

Clinical Review Board
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.

Current as of: October 24, 2023

Author: Ignite Healthwise, LLC Staff

Clinical Review Board
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.

La Enciclopedia de salud contiene información general de salud. No todos los tratamientos o servicios descritos son beneficios cubiertos para los miembros de Kaiser Permanente ni se ofrecen como servicios de Kaiser Permanente. Para obtener una lista de beneficios cubiertos, consulte su Evidencia de cobertura o Descripción resumida del plan. Para los tratamientos recomendados, consulte con su proveedor de atención médica.