A widespread occurrence of an infectious disease in a community at a given period of time is called–

Correct option is B

Sol. An epidemic is defined as a sudden increase in the number of cases of a disease above what is normally expected in that population in that area. Examples include dengue fever outbreaks in specific cities or cholera in disaster-hit areas. It’s a public health emergency requiring immediate action.
Explanation of each option:
· (a) Endemic – Refers to a disease that is constantly present in a particular region or population (e.g., malaria in some parts of Africa).
· (b) Epidemic – Correct Answer. Occurs when new cases of a disease rise sharply in a community or region over a short time, like COVID-19 in Wuhan before it became a pandemic.
· (c) Pandemic – A global epidemic — widespread over multiple countries or continents, such as COVID-19 in 2020.
· (d) Sporadic – Refers to isolated, irregular cases that occur infrequently and randomly, not enough to qualify as an outbreak or epidemic.