Experts Warn Of Growing Threat As Covid 19 Continues To Spread

The Next Pandemic: Scientists Identify Over 30 Potential Pathogens

Experts Warn of Growing Threat as COVID-19 Continues to Spread

Pathogens Include Swine Flu, Bird Flu, and SARS-CoV-2

As the world continues to grapple with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, experts in infectious diseases are sounding the alarm about the growing threat of future pandemics. Scientists have identified over 30 different pathogens that they fear could cause the next big outbreak, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to launch a global scientific process to update its list of priority pathogens.

This group of flu viruses includes H1N1, which caused a swine flu pandemic in 2009, and H5, the bird flu that has recently broken out among poultry. The virus now known as SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, is still spreading rapidly across the globe.

According to the WHO, these pathogens have the potential to cause "severe epidemics or pandemics" due to their high transmissibility, ability to mutate, and capacity to cause severe disease. The organization is highlighting the need for increased surveillance, research, and development of vaccines and treatments to prevent and respond to future pandemics.