Endemic refers to a disease outbreak that is consistently present but limited to a particular region or community. This means that the disease spreads and rates are predictable. For example, malaria is considered endemic in parts of Africa south of the Sahara desert. Endemic diseases are different from epidemics, which are sudden increases in the number of cases of a disease above what is normally expected in a specific area. An epidemic can be declared when the disease spreads rapidly to many people. On the other hand, a pandemic is an epidemic that has spread over several countries or continents and affects many people. COVID-19 has been classified as a pandemic due to its widespread effects. When a disease becomes endemic, it will be present at a certain level in a population at certain times of the year or year-round. For example, seasonal flu is a common endemic virus for which there are treatment options and a yearly vaccine.