Health Re-emerging and emerging diseases

• Morbidity refers to the disease state or the "quality of being unhealthful" of an individual
• Morbidity is also used to describe how often a disease occurs in a specific area
• Mortality refers to a condition of being subject to death
• Mortality may also refer to the number of deaths in a population
• Emerging diseases are diseases that have newly appeared in the population or have existed before but affected only a small number of people in an isolated place
• Emerging diseases can also be diseases that have occurred in human history but have only been recognized recently as an infectious disease
• Re-emerging diseases are diseases that have decreased in incidence and are brought under control but have surfaced again due to changes in health conditions of the population
• Re-emerging diseases are becoming health problems globally or in a specific population
• Ways to reduce the risk of infection from emerging diseases:

  • Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers containing at least 60% alcohol can be used when soap and water are not available
  • Cover sneezes and coughs with tissue paper, not with your hands. Use face masks when ill to protect yourself and others
  • Avoid staying close to strangers in places with sudden disease outbreaks
  • Keep fingers and hands away from nose, eyes, and mouth
  • Do not share personal items
  • Get appropriate vaccines