community spread

noun

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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From the Editors at Merriam-Webster

Dictionary Entries Near community spread

community singing

community spread

community-supported agriculture

Statistics for community spread

Cite this Entry

“Community spread.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/community%20spread. Accessed 16 May. 2022.

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