World Health Organization reveals 30 pathogens most likely to trigger next pandemic READ MORE: Experts reveal which virus is most likely to cause next pandemic By Luke Andrews Senior Health Reporter For Dailymail.Com Published: 12:05 EDT, 5 August 2024 | Updated: 12:12 EDT, 5 August 2024 e-mail View comments The World Health Organization has revealed its list of more than 30 pathogens that are most likely to cause the next pandemic. Among the most dangerous viruses and bacteria is H5N1 bird flu , which is spreading in the US and which scientists fear could easily mutate to jump between humans.
There are also fears about the mosquito-borne Dengue fever , sometimes dubbed the 'bone-breaking disease' which is also spreading in the US at unprecedented levels. And monkeypox , which caused a global epidemic in 2022, was also on the list, amid an outbreak of a deadlier and more infectious strain in Africa. The above shows a selection of pathogens included in the list that researchers deemed had a 'high' likelihood of causing the next pandemic or major outbreak More than half of the entries were new compared to the list from 2017, when the list was first published.
It also included Hantavirus, a virus that spreads among rodents, the mosquito-borne West Nile Virus, flu and Covid. The scientists also added smallpox even though it is currently eradicated, fearing it could be accidentally released in a lab accident and then spread quickly because few people now have immunity against the .