The emergence of a new respiratory pathogen could lead to a pandemic with consequences comparable to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Elchi” reports that this was stated by the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, at a press conference held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
“One of the things that keeps me awake at night is the possibility of a new respiratory pathogen emerging. This could cause consequences similar to those caused by COVID,” he said.
Ghebreyesus emphasized that a new pandemic is inevitable and it is a matter of time: “The next pandemic is a matter of ‘when’, not ‘if’.”
The WHO chief also noted that the ongoing spread of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo serves as a reminder that an epidemic can start anywhere and at any time, and can pose a threat not only to local communities but also to neighboring countries and the entire world.