Which term best describes the spread of disease across multiple continents?

• A. Epidemic
• B. Pandemic
• C. Outbreak
• D. Endemic

Answer: (B)

Spreading across multiple continents is described as a pandemic. A pandemic means the disease has achieved sustained transmission in many countries and continents, causing widespread illness and significant public health impact. This differs from an epidemic, which is a sharp increase in cases in a specific community or region; an outbreak, which is a more localized surge often limited to a particular setting; and endemic, which means the disease is regularly found at a baseline level in a population or area. The defining feature here is the broad, international reach that characterizes a pandemic.