Healthcare workers are currently preparing for a potential new pandemic termed Disease X even if the Covid-19 pandemic is almost over.
The next pandemic might result in the deaths of up to 50 million people, according to Dame Kate Bingham, who served as chair of the UK’s Vaccine Taskforce. She said that unexpectedly, Covid-19 might not be as deadly in contrast, and that it might even have already arrived. According to Bingham, this scary new pandemic, known as Disease X by the World Health Organization (WHO), may be 20 times more deadly than the Coronavirus.
She underlined the necessity of getting ready for massive vaccination drives that will deliver doses at an unprecedented rate. Imagine Disease X having an Ebola-like fatality rate (67%) and being as contagious as the measles, according to Bingham. It’s probably replicating somewhere throughout the world, and sooner or later, someone will discover it begin to feel ill.
Bingham claims that although thousands of distinct virus families made up of 25 different viruses have been identified by scientists, perhaps millions of additional viruses are yet unidentified, as stated by the Daily Mail.
Healthcare professionals are currently preparing for a potential new pandemic known as Disease X, despite the fact that Covid-19 and its derivatives have had a substantial influence in terms of recurring and recognizable health concerns. Health professionals have issued a warning that this new virus could be just as harmful as the Spanish Flu. “According to the World Health Organization (WHO), ‘Disease X refers to a pathogen, whether known or potentially unknown, that has the potential to cause large-scale, serious pandemics resulting in mass-scale human disease,'” says Dr. Neha Rastogi, a Consultant in Infectious Disease at Fortis Memorial Research Institute in Gurugram.
What is Disease X?
“A ‘pathogen X’ is possibly and plausibly the cause of disease X. It might have something to do with a zoonotic illness, most likely an RNA virus, that emerged from a setting where the epidemiological triad of host, environment, and transmission encouraged long-term spread. According to Dr. Rastogi, these newly or recently emerging viruses can be classified as X, providing a hazard that calls for rigorous and ongoing active surveillance and monitoring.
There are rumors that Syndrome X might be a pathogen created for a pandemic. The expert cautions that such occurrences could result in a catastrophic Disease X, potentially posing a global catastrophic risk, whether as a result of unintentional laboratory incidents or bioterrorism acts.
Prevention
“The creation and application of universal worldwide standards to control bioterrorism is a component of containment and mitigation methods. To stop the spread of virus X across borders, immediate and appropriate travel restrictions must be put in place, including rigorous airport screening.
It also calls for a coordinated strategy including world leaders, academics, epidemiologists, and specialists in infectious diseases in order to look into, manage, and ultimately eradicate Disease X. Dr. Rastogi suggests using surveillance, rigorous contact tracing, widespread and mass testing as possibly viable methods for prompt outbreak containment.
Prior to and during a pandemic, it is essential to make concerted steps to hasten access to immediate medical measures, such as test kits, immunizations, and first aid. To lessen and counteract the severe harmful effects of Disease X, high priority must be given to preventive measures, including vaccine development and research, she emphasizes.
“A One Health approach, which seeks to bridge institutional gaps, prioritize and categorize high-risk and alert pathogens, and stress mitigation strategies for emerging and re-emerging pathogens, including potential Disease X, should be our imperative in order to avert these global catastrophes,” says the expert.
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