Question

Epidemics are categorized as:

• A. Accident-Related
• B. Water and Climate Related
• C. Biological Disasters
• D. Chemical, Industrial, & Nuclear

Answer 1

Answer:

C. Biological Disasters

Biological disasters involve the widespread occurrence of disease or the release/spread of harmful biological agents that significantly impact human, animal, or plant health.

• Epidemics: An epidemic is the rapid spread of an infectious disease to a large number of people in a given population within a short period of time.

  • Nature: They are caused by biological agents such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, or parasites.

  • Impact: Epidemics can overwhelm healthcare systems, lead to widespread illness and death, disrupt social and economic activities, and cause panic.

  • Examples: Historical examples include outbreaks of influenza, measles, cholera, or more recently, the initial phases of the COVID-19 pandemic before it became global (a pandemic being a larger-scale epidemic).

Since epidemics directly involve the proliferation of living organisms (pathogens) causing widespread harm, they are a prime example of a biological disaster.