In the next decade, the world may be hit by a new pandemic, so you need to prepare for it now, experts say.
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There is a 27.5% chance that a pandemic as deadly as COVID-19 could begin in the next decade as viruses emerge more frequently.
It is noted that this is due to climate change, an increase in the number of international travel, population and the threat of zoonotic diseases.
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Health experts are now preparing for a new potential global threat, the article says. So, over the past two decades, three main types of coronavirus have already appeared, causing SARS, Middle East respiratory syndrome and COVID-19.
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It is worth adding that the rapid spread of H5N1 avian influenza also raises concerns. Although it has so far been identified in only a few people, the rapid increase in the incidence in birds and the increasing frequency of infections in mammals are alarming scientists and governments. There is reason to fear that the virus may mutate, thereby accelerating its spread, the experts state.
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Many high-risk pathogens, such as Middle East respiratory syndrome and Zika virus, have neither vaccines nor treatments, and monitoring them is unlikely to detect the onset of a new pandemic in time, highlighting the need for preparedness measures, experts conclude.
