What is Disease X? Scientist warns for new fatal infection disease deadlier than COVID-19

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The scientist who discovered the Ebola virus disease way back in 1976 has warned against a fresh set of probably fatal viruses among which is ‘Disease X’. He also said that the diseases which are on the verge of spreading might be deadlier than Ebola and should spread faster than the coronavirus.

CNN quoted Professor Jean-Jacques Muyembe Tamfum from Congo revealing how variety of latest viruses are being expected to return to light in an act which he describes as “a threat for humanity”.

“We are now during a world where new pathogens will begin . and that is what constitutes a threat for humanity,” Tamfum told CNN.

The scientist’s statement comes on the brink of the heels of a patient being infected by a pathogen that has not yet been identified but had symptoms almost like that of Ebola.

In December, a lady during a remote village within the Democratic Village of the Congo (DRC) showed early signs of haemorrhagic fever , following which her samples were sent for Ebola and other diseases with similar symptoms. However, all the tests turned negative makeing the disease a mystery.

Scientists speculate if the lady might be the patient zero of ‘Disease X’ which researchers say might be more contagious than COVID-19 and 50-90 per cent deadlier than Ebola virus .

According to the planet Health Organisation (WHO), a Disease X is that the possibility of a world epidemic which will spread from a pathogen unknown to humankind. The disease has been included within the list of priority diseases by the health body and experts opine that it’s important we stay alert and fear the breakout of any new pathogen.

According to Dr Anthony Fauci, director US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, ‘X’ stands for unexpected and unexplained.

WHO said it “represents the knowledge that a significant international epidemic might be caused by a pathogen currently unknown to cause human disease.”

As of now, ‘Disease X’ is hypothetical, an epidemic that scientists and public health experts fear could lead on to serious disease round the world if and when it occurs, consistent with WHO.

Muyembe has warned of the many more zoonotic diseases – which jump from animals to humans – to return .

While the deadly HIV emerged from a kind of Chimpanzee then mutated into a fatal disease, SARS-CoV-2, along side SARS, and MERS are all coronaviruses that have suddenly jumped from animals to humans. yellow jack , various sorts of influenza, rabies, brucellosis and Lyme disease also are among people who pass from animals to humans, often via a vector like a rodent or an insect.

This article taken reference from jagran

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