COVID-19 may be replaced by disease X.
WHO warned of disease X, which could be 20 times more common deadlier than COVID-19.
Forbes writes about this.
What is disease X
Disease X is a hypothetical unknown threat. This name is used by scientists to develop countermeasures, including vaccines and tests, that could be used in the event of a future outbreak.
It is noted that back in November 2022, WHO convened a group of more than 300 scientists to study an unknown pathogen that could cause a serious pandemic.
Priority viruses and pathogens
The Executive Director of the WHO Health Emergencies Program, Michael Ryan, announced that knowledge gaps have been identified not only regarding Disease X, but also a number of viruses and pathogens identified as priority ones.
Among the priority viruses, experts name COVID-19, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, Ebola, Marburg, Lassa fever, east respiratory syndrome (ERS), severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Nipah, Rift Valley fever and Zika.
Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations CEO Richard Getchett said Disease X is something to prepare for.
A 2021 paper published by Cambridge University Press compares the hypothetical outbreak of Disease X to other unexpected infectious diseases that have taken the medical world by surprise.
Remember:
At the World Economic Forum in Davos they plan to discuss a possible pandemic of disease X, which WHO warned about.
“With new warnings from the World Health Organization that unknown disease X could cause 20 times more deaths than the coronavirus pandemic, what efforts are needed to prepare health systems for the many challenges ahead,” – stated in the event program.
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