The World Health Organization calls for preparedness for the possibility of a new epidemic outbreak caused by disease X

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The director of the World Health Organization's office in Russia, Batyr Berdiklychev, warned that the beginning of the spread of a new epidemic caused by the new "X" disease is only a matter of time.

Berdiklychev said in an interview with TASS on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum 2024 that there are a large number of viruses and bacteria in the world that have the ability to change their characteristics and mutate.

He pointed out, "Of course, the condition for the emergence of epidemics will be the emergence of such a virus or bacteria , that is, a pathogen that may have the ability to transmit this infection from one person to another in the absence of immunity, especially population immunity."

The global health official stated that it is “almost impossible” to predict when and where this will happen.

He added: "But scientists and epidemiologists around the world agree that this is a very real threat. It is only a matter of time. Therefore, the primary task is to prepare for such a situation, for what is called Disease X."

Also a few days ago, the Director-General of the World Health Organization , Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, warned of a new health crisis .

He said after the World Health Assembly meeting in Geneva: “The decision to conclude an agreement on epidemics during the next year shows the strong and urgent desire of countries to do so because the next pandemic is a matter of time.”