variants:
or community transmission
Definition of community spread
: the spread of a contagious disease within a community
specifically
: the spread of a contagious disease to individuals in a particular geographic location who have no known contact with other infected individuals or who have not recently traveled to an area where the disease has any documented cases
Dr. [Anthony] Fauci, who is the top coronavirus expert in the country, said community spread made it almost impossible to predict how many cases there will be. — Megan Sheets and Emily Crane … a 50-year-old New Rochelle man became the first known person in New York to contract the virus through community spread. — Jon Campbell In areas where community transmission is high, schools may be closed and businesses may ask employees to work from home. — Melissa Healy
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“Community spread.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/community%20spread. Accessed 20 Apr. 2021.
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The first known use of community spread was in 1903
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