
Pandemic
This content was published on
1 minute
Flu outbreaks either appear seasonally or as pandemics. This has nothing to do with the level of danger a virus poses.
Seasonal flu has been known for centuries. Outbreaks are caused by person-to-person transmission, such as coughing, sneezing or touching.
Flu pandemics affect the entire world. New viruses pose more of a threat because human immune systems take time to build resistance.
Animals are also susceptible to flu viruses.
Popular Stories

More
Saving lives in the shadow of melting giants

More
Does democracy really make the world more peaceful?

More
Will Switzerland finally do away with imputed rental-value tax on homeowners?

More
Migrants in Switzerland speak of gratitude, pride – and setbacks

More
Dealing with vaccine hesitancy in the age of misinformation – lessons from Switzerland

In compliance with the JTI standards
More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.