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su·per-spread·ing | \ ˌsü-pər-ˈspre-diŋ 
\
\variants:
or superspreading
Definition of super-spreading
: the transmission of a communicable disease to an unusually large number of uninfected individuals by a relatively small number of highly contagious individuals : the spread of disease by super-spreaders The SARS coronavirus moved mainly via super-spreading and the epidemic died out. Whether that is likely to happen this time should become apparent soon.— Debora MacKenzie The authors analyse data from eight human infections … to show that superspreading occurs across the board, although to a greater or lesser extent depending on the disease.— Alison P. Galvani and Robert M. May — often used before another nounsuper-spreading events
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Last Updated
16 Mar 2020
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Cite this Entry
“Super-spreading.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/super-spreading. Accessed 29 Mar. 2020.
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Time Traveler for super-spreading
The first known use of super-spreading was in 2003
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