Widespread Affliction is a term used to describe a situation in which a large number of people are affected by a particular disease or problem. This can be seen in the two crossword solutions, SCOURGE and PLAGUE, both of which refer to a widespread affliction. SCOURGE is a term used to describe a severe punishment or affliction that is inflicted on a large number of people, while PLAGUE is a term used to describe a contagious and often fatal disease that affects a large number of people. Both terms are used to describe a situation in which a large number of people are affected by a particular problem or disease.