World Health Organization has sounded the alarm on the next potential pandemic – which could be spread by insects.
On Thursday, the WHO launched the Global Arbovirus Initiative in an effort to implement an "integrated strategic plan to tackle emerging and re-emerging arboviruses with epidemic and pandemic potential focusing on monitoring risk, pandemic prevention, preparedness, detection and response, and building a coalition of partners."
The WHO warns that risks of a new insect-borne outbreak is "increasing."
"The next pandemic could, very likely, be due to a new arbovirus," Dr. Sylvie Briand – director of the global infectious hazard preparedness team at the WHO – said on Thursday. "And we also have some signals that the risk is increasing."
Arboviruses are also known as arthropod-bo...