The World Health Organization has announced that it is now studying a new list of pathogens that could lead to future epidemics or outbreaks.
The WHO adds that these priority pathogens should be kept under observation.
WHO said that they are aiming to update the list used in global research and development and investment for vaccine development and potential treatments.
The United Nations’ health agency is convening over 300 scientists to consider evidence on more than 25 virus families and bacteria.
They will also have what they call “Disease X” — an unknown pathogen that could cause a serious international epidemic.
“Targeting priority pathogens and virus families for research and development of countermeasures is essential for a fast and effective epidemic and pandemic response,”the WHO said.
“Without significant R&D investments prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, it would not have been possible to have safe and effective vaccines developed in record time,” it added.
The first list of possible pandemic pathogens was released in 2017.
The list included Covid-19, Ebola virus disease and Marburg virus disease, Lassa fever, Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Nipah, Zika and Disease X.
