epidemic curve
noun
variants
or less commonly epidemiological curve
or epidemiologic curve
or epi curve
: a visual representation in the form of a graph or chart depicting the onset and progression of an outbreak of disease and especially infectious disease in a particular population
Note: An epidemic curve plots the number of documented cases over a period of time (such as days, weeks, or months) and can provide valuable epidemiological information (such as the pattern of spread, mode of transmission, and incubation period).
As there is no specific medication to treat COVID-19, nor any vaccine to protect us against this infection, public health authorities are stressing the importance of hygiene and self-isolation to slow the spread of the virus and flatten the epidemic curve.—
Joseph Q. Jarvis
Joseph Q. JarvisThe E. coli outbreak, which by last official count had sickened 53 people in 16 states, dates to March 13, with no known fatalities. … The CDC publishes an "epi curve" that shows that people began getting sick on March 13.—Lena H. Sun and Joel Achenbach
Lena H. Sun and Joel AchenbachCommunity spread is limited now, but officials expect it to accelerate. Now, he [Governor Jared Polis] said, testing must scale up to offer a more informed picture of community spread and "where we are in the epidemiological curve."—Fort Collins Coloradoan
Fort Collins ColoradoanExamples of epidemic curve in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The epidemic curve in India is likely to follow a trajectory similar to that in Italy.
—Vidya Krishnan, Foreign Affairs, 25 Mar. 2020
Every infected person was spreading the virus to more than two other people, creating an epidemic curve that threatened to go vertical, as if aiming for the moon.
—Joel Achenbach, Anchorage Daily News, 12 Mar. 2023
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Vidya Krishnan, Foreign Affairs, 25 Mar. 2020
Every infected person was spreading the virus to more than two other people, creating an epidemic curve that threatened to go vertical, as if aiming for the moon.
—Joel Achenbach, Anchorage Daily News, 12 Mar. 2023
Articles Related to epidemic curve
Dictionary Entries Near epidemic curve
Cite this Entry
“Epidemic curve.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/epidemic%20curve. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share