In the latest Covid news, another variant could result in the virus surging and further death, WHO chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has warned.
Speaking at the World Health Assembly forum in Geneva in Switzerland, he urged countries to prepare for the next pandemic.
Dr Tedros said yesterday (Monday May 22) that action to deal with the threat of another global health crisis must be taken without delay.
Covid news
The World Health Organisation’s director-general said: “We cannot kick this can down the road. When the next pandemic comes knocking – and it will – we must be ready to answer decisively, collectively and equitably.”
When the next pandemic comes knocking – and it will – we must be ready.
He continued: “If we do not make the changes that must be made, then who will? And if we do not make them now, then when?”
Dr Tedros also indicated Covid could make a devastating doomsday-esque comeback, despite declaring the virus was “over” as a global health emergency earlier this month.
He said: “The threat of another variant emerging that causes new surges of disease and death remains. And the threat of another pathogen emerging with even deadlier potential remains.”
Dr Tedros’ words came as the WHO unveiled a new scheme to identify and and track the most dangerous pathogens.
The WHO has previously identified priority diseases that pose the biggest risk to public health. They were deemed to be most risky due to a lack of treatments or their ability to cause a pandemic.
Along with Covid, they are believed to include Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever, ebola, Marburg and Lassa fever. MERS, SARS, Nipah virus, Rift Valley fever, and Zika virus are also on the list. ‘Disease X’ – the name given to a devastating pathogen not yet discovered – is also considered a pressing threat.
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