Causes

Pandemics begin once a disease has infiltrated other countries on a global scale. Pandemics can start a variety of ways, but the most common cause of pandemics begin with a virus that has been passed from an animal to a human, also known as zoonotic transmission.

Zoonotic transmission enter human populations through domesticated animals like chickens or pigs, or through wildlife like bats. The transmission can occur through consumption, lack of proper hygiene, or from wildlife infiltrating some part of livestocks consumed by humans.

Once the pathogen has infiltrated humans, there is a chance that the virus can mutate and transform, this can result in an increase risk to humans.

See next: Pandemic Stages, Management of Pandemics