WHO's cryptic warning and new virus worse than Covid-19

A doctor demonstrates Rift Valley General Hospital's Covid-19 readiness, March 13, 2020. [Daniel Chege, Standard]

Emerging infectious threats constantly challenge the landscape of global health security.

Recently, two significant developments have drawn much attention to this field: The study of a pangolin coronavirus and the World Health Organisation's (WHO) warning about an imaginary pandemic, called 'Disease X', which is potentially 20 times more severe than Covid-19.

Merging these developments offers crucial insights for global health security and pandemic preparedness.

Researchers led by Lai Wei studied a special kind of cold virus from pangolins which was modified to see how it affects mice. These mice were special in that they were made to be more like humans in the way they catch and respond to diseases.

This virus turned out to be very dangerous for these mice, killing all of them. What was particularly alarming was that this virus had a strong ability to attack the mice's brains, possibly because of certain changes in the virus that made it better at getting into the brain.

This study made a big leap forward in the science of studying viruses and getting ready for possible worldwide health emergencies by creating a new way to test how diseases affect animals in a way that's very similar to humans.

This approach is particularly helpful for testing medicines and vaccines, which strengthens our global defenses against future health crises.

The study also showed that even a weakened virus could be deadly in mice that are made to mimic human disease responses, highlighting the importance of keeping a close eye on diseases that can spread from animals to humans.

This is a crucial part of preparing for health emergencies worldwide. However, finding out that this special kind of mouse always dies when infected raises alarm bells about the danger of diseases jumping from animals to humans, especially if a virus that is as harmful to us as it is to the mice were to appear from the wild.

Another concern is how to keep people safe from dangerous viruses used in science experiments.

When scientists work with very harmful viruses to learn more about them, there is always a small chance that these viruses could accidentally get out, which could lead to serious health problems for the global population.

This concern gets even bigger when the research involves making the viruses stronger or more harmful on purpose to understand them better.

While this kind of work can lead to important discoveries, it also raises serious questions about what is right and wrong in science.

There is also the fear that these viruses could be used in the wrong way, like in bioterrorism, or accidental release from the lab, causing much harm. Because of these dangers, it is very important to follow strict safety rules to make sure that the research doesn't end up hurting people.

At a recent World Economic Forum meeting, experts from the World Health Organization warned about 'Disease X.'

This is the name of a sickness that we don't know about yet, which could spread through the air and be very harmful. The idea of 'Disease X' shows that we can't always predict what the next big health crisis will be.

It highlights how important it is to have a strong system in place all over the world that can quickly adapt and respond to new diseases that might suddenly appear.

The research on the Pangolin coronavirus has raised major concerns about a possible new kind of global health threat. The fact that the Pangolin coronavirus caused all infected mice to die from brain infections shows it could be a very deadly virus that can damage the brain, which is a scary example of how unexpected and different new diseases can be.

This situation with the Pangolin coronavirus is a clear reminder that we need to be better at watching out for diseases that come from animals, especially as people and wildlife come into closer contact more often due to lose of their natural habitats or changes in the climate.

The WHO's International Health Regulations talk about the importance of being ready for unexpected threats like this by keeping a close eye on diseases and catching them early.

This study shows why it is so important to be ready for a pandemic and have plans in place to deal with it. Even small changes in viruses like those seen in the Pangolin coronavirus can make them much more dangerous.

It's crucial that our health systems can adjust quickly to new threats, especially in parts of the world that might be hit hardest by a pandemic. The study on the Pangolin coronavirus shows we need strong health systems everywhere that can quickly deal with new dangers which is what the IHR encourages countries to do.

It's a call to action to make our health systems better, improve how we watch for diseases and work together across the world. The WHO encourages countries to work together to get ready for 'Disease X' by sharing research, watching for diseases, and responding together. By working together globally, we can better prepare for and lessen the effects of future health threats as serious as 'Disease X.'