Possible new deadly pandemic to be discussed at the World Economic Forum in Davos

Possible new deadly pandemic to be discussed at the World Economic Forum in Davos

Kyiv  •  UNN

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The Davos forum will discuss the preparedness of health systems for a possible pandemic of "disease X".

At the World Economic Forum in Davos, which will be held from 15 to 19 January among other things will discuss a possible pandemic of "disease X", reports UNN with reference to the program of the forum.

"With new warnings from the World Health Organization that an unknown 'disease X' could cause 20 times as many deaths as a coronavirus pandemic, (will be discussed - ed.) what new efforts are needed to prepare health systems for the many challenges ahead?" the Jan. 17 form program says.

Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), will participate in the discussion.

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The prospect of "disease X" was first voiced back in 2017; the term itself was heard in a WHO report in 2018. Following the coronavirus outbreak, the WHO has warned several times that another pandemic could be just around the corner. Given that researchers are not working with a known pathogen (it is simply assumed that a truly dangerous pathogen will emerge at some point), the work to prevent a subsequent global pandemic is hypothetical. One variant of "disease X" is thought to be smallpox. At the same time, it could be another virus or bacteria, it is not excluded that mutation and increased pathogenicity can be provoked by climate change, urbanization. In any case, most experts agree that in the coming years, the emergence of new pandemics is increasingly likely.