The WHO definition of Pandemic

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With the emergence of Swine Flu and the panic it is creating it is interesting to note the definition of the word pandemic.

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines a pandemic when three conditions have been met:[1]

* Emergence of a disease new to a population.
* Agents infect humans, causing serious illness.
* Agents spread easily and sustainably among humans.

A disease or condition is not a pandemic merely because it is widespread or kills many people; it must also be infectious. For instance, cancer is responsible for many deaths but is not considered a pandemic, because the disease is not infectious or contagious.