Disease X: How This Deadly Virus Can Put The World Under Lockdown? 7 Points to Know

Disease X is on the ‘Priority list’ of WHO and claims to be more deadly than COVID-19. Experts warn to be prepared for the future pandemic situation that could actually trigger worldwide lockdown.

A few days back World Health Organization announced the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, globally marking the end of the deadly virus that took several lives. Now experts have expressed the fear of a new pandemic that can potentially be more deadly. There has been a call out that this new virus called Disease X could be 20 times deadlier than Coronavirus. The UK health expert warned that it can cause another pandemic like COVID-19 and kill millions of people. Also, it can be as devastating as the Spanish flu. Let’s understand why experts are calling Disease X extremely dangerous. Here are 7 important facts to know about this newly discovered threat.

7 Major Facts to Know About The Mysterious Disease X

1. According to the WHO website, the term Disease X “represents the knowledge that a serious international epidemic could be caused by a pathogen currently unknown to cause human disease”. It could be a new agent-virus, bacteria or fungus. It could be related to zoonotic disease likely an RNA virus and cause a threat which mandates constant monitoring and supervision.
2. Medical health experts believe this deadly infection may either evolve in wild, domestic animals and then infected humans.
3. Since yellow fever-the first zoonotic virus was first identified in 1901. Experts say that the rising number of emerging viruses is largely the result of ecological destruction and wildlife trade.
4. WHO is working with a close group of scientists called the “R&D Blueprint Scientific Advisory Group.” According to them, Disease X was called an ‘unknowable pathogen’ in February 2018 and can has the potential to cause a future epidemic.
5. A woman in the remote town of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, recently showed symptoms of hemorrhagic fever. She was tested for several diseases, but all the test reports came back negative. Scientists fear that this could be a symptom of a potentially new and fatal virus. The situation sparked fears amid speculations- What if she was the patient zero of ‘Disease X’. It raised several questions about the deadly virus.
6. Professor Jean-Jacques Muyembe Tamfum said, “If a pathogen emerged from Africa it will take time to spread all over the world…So, if this virus is detected early — like in my institution here — there will be an opportunity for Europe [and the rest of the world] to develop new strategies to fight these new pathogens.”
7. The term has led to deliberations across the world, with many experts claiming that the next Disease X will be zoonotic, like Ebola and Covid-19
8. As per WHO, the best time to prevent the next pandemic is now. It is important to prepare the world for the future pandemic situation that could actually trigger lockdown again.