Ubhubhane igama elisuselwa esiGrikhini, lichaza ukuqubuka kwesifo esithelelanayo esesihambe amazwe ahlukene nezindawo ezahlukene. Ukubhebhetheka ngokushesha kwesifo ebantwini abaningi abasendaweni eyodwa esikhathini esifishane kubizwa ngobhubhane lwendawana. Bese kuba khona isifo esithelele abantu abayisibalo esaziwayo, lolu akulona ubhubhane. Isifo esithelelanayo esinesibalo abathelelekile abaziwayo esifana nomkhuhlane wokushintsha kwezikhathi zonyaka azibalwa kubhubhane ngoba zivela ngesikhathi esisodwa ezindaweni ezahlukene emhlabeni kunokuthi zibhebhetheke emhlabeni wonke. Ubhubhane isifo esithelelanayo esiqala ezweni elilodwa sibhebhetheke kwamanye amazwe. Ukuze isifo kuzothiwa siwubhubhane, kufanele kube isifo esibhebhetheke emazweni amaningi futhi kube isifo esithelelanayo/ Umzekelo; isifo somdlavuza sibulala abantu abaningi emhlabeni kodwa akuthiwa ubhubhane ngoba asithelelani. Isigaba sokuqala senzeka lapho okuqala khona ukutholakala kwabantu abanesifo. Uma kungenziwa isibonelo nge-COVID-19, kungashiwo isikhathi la okwakusagula khona abantu abayidlanzana. Isigaba sesibili ilapho okubonakala khona isifo emphakathini. Ilapho okubonakala khona ukuthelelana kwabantu kuphinde kulokhu kutheleleka abasha. Isigaba sesithathu ilapho ukubhebhetheka kwesifo sekuthotshisiwe noma kungasekho muntu othelelekayo. Ziningi izinto amazwe angazenza uma kuqubuka ubhubhane. Ngo 2005 isigungu sezempilo umhlaba wonke i-World Health Organisation(WHO) yasungula indlela yokumelana nezifo emazweni onke i-International Health Regulations(IHR), lokhu kwakwenzelwa ukuvikela, nokuphathwa kwezifo ezingahle zithutheleke kwamanye amazwe. ngaphezu kwalokho i-WHO yenze uhlelo lwecebo lokumelana nobhubhane oluyimikhuhlane.