outbreaks
Sudden disease surges
Outbreaks are sudden occurrences of something unwelcome—disease, violence, or conflict.
An outbreak of cholera spreads rapidly through a population.
An outbreak of war or hostilities begins abruptly.
The word implies something that erupts and spreads: outbreaks of looting followed the blackout.
Less commonly, outbreak describes any sudden emergence: an outbreak of laughter, an outbreak of creativity.
Widespread disease occurrence
- pandemicGlobal disease outbreak
- infectionPathogen invasion causing illness
- contagionDisease spread by contact
- spreadTo distribute widely
quarantine · cases · transmission · virus · pathogen · containment · surge · cluster
Uncontrolled vegetation blaze
- infestationPest takeover situation
- locustSwarming crop-eating insect
- algae bloomRapid aquatic microorganism proliferation
- pestHarmful creature or nag
blight · fungal · crop disease · swarm · invasive species · red tide · contamination · ecological
Violent sudden release
- flare-upSudden recurrence of symptoms
- burstBreak apart suddenly
- waveOscillating motion through medium
- surgeSudden powerful increase
onset · occurrence · incident · episode · spike · emergence · rash · spate
Violent public disturbance
- unrestState of public disturbance
- conflictOpposition between parties
- uprisingOrganized resistance to power
- hostilitiesActive armed fighting
clashes · fighting · skirmishes · insurgency · rebellion · civil disorder · mob · looting
epidemic
Widespread disease occurrence
- pandemicGlobal disease outbreak
- infectionPathogen invasion causing illness
- contagionDisease spread by contact
spread · quarantine · cases · transmission · virus · pathogen · containment · surge · cluster · hotspot
wildfire
Uncontrolled vegetation blaze
- infestationPest takeover situation
- locustSwarming crop-eating insect
- algae bloomRapid aquatic microorganism proliferation
pest · blight · fungal · crop disease · swarm · invasive species · red tide · contamination · ecological · agricultural
eruption
Violent sudden release
surge · onset · occurrence · incident · episode · spike · emergence · rash · spate · series
riot
Violent public disturbance
- unrestState of public disturbance
- conflictOpposition between parties
- uprisingOrganized resistance to power
hostilities · clashes · fighting · skirmishes · insurgency · rebellion · civil disorder · mob · looting · turmoil
- global healthdisease, pandemic, World Health Organization, medications, pandemics
- public healthdisease prevention, immunization, disease control, health education, epidemiology
- sanitationsewage, sewers, cleaning, sewer, disinfecting
- African healthmalaria, HIV, cholera, tuberculosis, TB
- Plaguebubonic plague, pneumonic plague, Black Death, Yersinia pestis, buboes
- zoonosesrabies, avian flu, bird flu, Ebola, SARS
outbreakscontainments
Acts of holding within
remissions · declines · subsiding · abatements · eradications
outbreakscontainments
Acts of holding within
suppressions · eradications · controls · quarantines · lockdowns