Everything we know about Disease X that could see '20x more deaths than Covid'
Brits are being warned of a new disease that civilisation is ‘unprepared for’ - and it has a far more catastrophic effect than Covid-19, with 20 times the fatalities.
World Health Organisation (WHO) boss, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, says the world is not ready for 'Disease X' - a term created by the UN agency in 2018 to describe an unknown disease that could spark a future pandemic.
'Disease X' is considered more of an experiment than a real illness, so we don't know what symptoms it would have, how quickly it would spread, or even what type of germ would cause it. But experts believe that it could result in 20 times more deaths than the coronavirus pandemic. The hypothetical illness even made it on the WHO's shortlist of priority diseases, along with viruses like SARS, Ebola and Zika.
Disease X was mentioned at this year’s World Economic Forum - where world leaders, top CEOs, and influential academics gather annually in Davos, Switzerland, to discuss global issues. Global health was a key topic at the event this year, with representatives from AstraZeneca and the WHO participating in a panel titled 'Preparing for Disease X'.
Scientists think Disease X could be caused by a zoonotic virus, a virus that jumps from animals to humans (Getty Images)What is Disease X?
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Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert, lead investigator at the Pandemic Sciences Institute, University of Oxford, says Disease X is one of many future pandemic threats that scientists are looking into. Scientists think Disease X could be caused by a zoonotic virus, a virus that jumps from animals to humans. Dr Gilbert added that the unknown germ could likely be 'something we haven't yet discovered'.
John-Arne Rttingen, a Norwegian scientist and special advisor to the WHO, warns that zoonotic viruses pose 'probably the greatest risk' to global public health Some scientists believe climate change could increase this risk, as warmer climates could help mosquito-borne viruses spread, while habitat destruction could bring humans and animals into closer contact.
The WHO suspects Disease X will likely emerge in tropical, low or middle-income countries, particularly those already affected by climate change. It has since made it onto the WHO’s list of priority diseases to look out for.
The WHO’s list of priority diseases are as follows:
Covid-19: spread by a variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever: spread by ticks in the New Forest in Hampshire.
Ebola virus disease and Marburg virus disease: believed to have originated in fruit bats from the Pteropodidae family.
Lassa fever: spread by the common African rat.
Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS): SARS is believed to have originated in bats, while MERS is transmitted to humans from camels. Both are variants of coronavirus.
Nipah and henipaviral diseases: Nipah spreads to humans from animals such as pigs and bats.
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Rift Valley fever: Spread by mosquitos and usually affects animals, especially livestock.
Zika: Transmitted by mosquitos.
Disease X: An unknown, hypothetical disease.
Are we prepared for Disease X?
Professor Dame Gilbert says the Pandemic Sciences Institute is trying to understand “more about how viruses emerge, developing vaccines and treatments, analysing data and surveillance of infectious diseases and researching the policy and ethical factors around pandemic response.”
'Disease X' is considered more of an experiment than a real illness (Getty Images/Science Photo Library RF)In August, over 200 scientists began work at a new cutting-edge vaccine research lab in Wiltshire. The Vaccine Development and Evaluation Centre aims to find ways to respond faster to future pandemics. It took 362 days to develop the Covid-19 vaccine, but the team at the centre hopes to reduce this time to just 100 days.
Scientists at the new lab will work on creating a variety of prototype vaccines and tests. The lab is part of a worldwide effort to tackle global health threats, with the UK and other G7 countries committing to the '100 Days Mission' in 2021.
The government has pumped £65 million into this project. Professor Dame Jenny Harries, who leads the UK Health Security Agency, said that this facility would help us prepare for any new disease or pathogen.
Why has there been a right-wing backlash to Disease X?
Disease X has faced criticism from right-wing social media commentators. Much of the backlash comes from far-right groups who were also against Covid-19 lockdowns and vaccinations.
Monica Crowley, a former Republican politician and Fox News contributor, tweeted that Disease X would be another way for 'unelected globalists' to 'destroy more freedoms'.
Social media has been buzzing with claims about Disease X, which are eerily similar to the misinformation that was spread during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic. Alex Jones, a well-known conspiracy theorist and podcast host, recently stated in a video that Disease X is 'laboratory-made' and part of a scheme by the UN, the World Economic Forum and Bill Gates.
The World Economic Forum has often been criticised by far-right commentators, with many spreading rumours about the true intentions of the Davos meeting. In 2020, the theme of the World Economic Forum was 'The Great Reset', a phrase now used by online groups to refer to a conspiracy theory about a secret elite planning to strip away personal freedoms and enforce authoritarian rule.
Conspiracy theorists are convinced that political and business leaders gather at Davos to put these plans into action. However, Full Fact, a fact-checking organisation, has debunked the 'Great Reset' claims.
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