World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus spoke candidly about the “not-if-but-when” reality of a new pandemic, which he refers to as ‘Disease X.’
During his address in Dubai during the World Government Summit, Tedros claimed that despite the current focus on COVID-19, the concept of ‘Disease X’ has been part of the global health conversation for years, representing the unknown pathogen that could cause a future pandemic.
“History teaches us that the next pandemic is a matter of when, not if,” Tedros said. “It may be caused by an influenza virus, a new coronavirus, or it may be caused by a new pathogen we don’t even know about yet, or what we call disease X.”
The term ‘Disease X’ first appeared in WHO documents in 2018 as a placeholder for an unknown pathogen that could cause a serious international epidemic. Interestingly, Dr. Tedros pointed out that COVID-19 itself was a form of ‘Disease X,’ a previously unknown virus that triggered a global crisis.
“But there will be another disease X or a disease Y or a disease Z,” he added.
WATCH:
WHO Director-General Tedros Says Disease X ‘Is a Matter of When, Not If’
“It may be caused by an influenza virus or a new coronavirus. Or it may be caused by a new pathogen we don’t even know about yet, what we call Disease X.” pic.twitter.com/IJCdvwe33j
— Chief Nerd (@TheChiefNerd) February 16, 2024