WHO warns insect-borne viruses like Zica, dengue could trigger next pandemic

The World Health Organization (WHO) has cautioned that  Insect-borne viruses such as Zika and dengue fever could be the source of the next pandemic.

Dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya, and zika viruses are all serious public health risks in tropical and sub-tropical countries, where nearly 3.9 billion people live.

Globally, the frequency and severity of epidemics of these arboviruses, particularly those transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, are growing, owing to a convergence of ecological, economic, and societal variables.

Dengue fever infects 390 million people annually in 130 countries where it is endemic, according to the WHO, while the Zika virus created an outbreak in 2016 after it was discovered to cause birth problems such as microcephaly. It has been found in a total of 89 nations.

Yellow fever, like dengue fever, has a significant risk of outbreaks in 40 countries. It causes jaundice, severe hemorrhagic fever, and mortality. Chikungunya, a lesser-known virus that causes severe and joint-disabling arthritis, is found in 115 countries.

According to The Telegraph, the WHO claimed there are indicators that the risk these diseases bring is "growing."

Experts are attempting to develop strategies to prevent the next outbreak from becoming a catastrophe. Arboviruses are at the top of the priority list.

"We have learned the hard way what it costs not to be prepared for high impact events after two years of Covid-19 epidemic," Dr Sylvie Briand, director of the WHO's global infectious hazard preparedness team, was cited as saying.

"We have learned the hard way what it costs not to be prepared for high impact events after two years of Covid-19 epidemic," Dr Sylvie Briand, director of the WHO's global infectious hazard preparedness team, was cited as saying.

"We had a signal with SARS in 2003 and the experience of the influenza pandemic in 2009," she continued, "but there were still gaps in our preparedness." "A new arbovirus is quite likely to cause the next pandemic. We also have some indications that the risk is rising."

The experts spoke during the introduction of the World Health Organization's new Global Arbovirus Initiative, which is an integrated strategy plan to focus resources on risk monitoring, pandemic prevention, preparedness, detection, and response.

"There is an urgent need to re-evaluate the tools at hand and how these may be leveraged across illnesses to ensure rapid response, evidence-based practise, equipped and trained staff, and community participation," said Dr Mike Ryan, WHO's Emergency Programme leader.

Given the "frequency and scale of outbreaks" of arboviruses, the UN health agency stated that international intervention is required. Climate change, population increase, and expanding urbanisation are all increasing their reach, according to the WHO.

The WHO's assistant director-general, Dr Ren Minghui, was quoted saying, "As urban populations continue to grow, the threat of these illnesses grows increasingly alarming."

"Since close living quarters increase the spread of this illness, we must tackle these challenges today to avoid future health-care system catastrophes."