Stand: 01.07.2024, 15:40
Von: Julian Mayr
PressSplit
MERS and bird flu viruses are currently causing experts great concern. Although the data available is thin, the spread of pathogens is discovered too late.
Frankfurt – Even after more than four years, the corona pandemic is still making headlines. Not so much because of rapidly increasing incidences, as was the case at the height of the corona crisis. The debate is much more focused on the review of the measures and restrictions at the time. But the fact is: the coronavirus will continue to exist. And with it, other pathogens have recently been increasingly appearing, which, according to experts such as Christian Drosten, have the potential to trigger a new pandemic.
Christian Drosten warns of possible pandemic – “Something like this has never happened before”
In a conversation with the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND) about their joint book “Alles überstanden?”, Drosten and journalist Georg Mascolo not only addressed the corona pandemic, which has now largely been overcome. The chief virologist at Berlin’s Charité hospital warned in detail about a potentially impending pandemic.
Drosten names the MERS virus and the bird flu virus H5N1 as possible triggers. Both viruses, according to Drosten, could lead to a global health crisis. The virologist had already warned about the MERS virus, which is particularly widespread in the Middle East, in autumn 2023. Most recently, the H5N1 virus in particular is causing concern, as it has been detected in cow’s milk from numerous dairy farms in the USA.
“There has never been anything like this before, such extremely large outbreaks in cows – all experts are worried. We don’t really know how things will continue now because we don’t have very good insight into the data,” Drosten said in RND-Interview alarmed.
“Start of the next pandemic” – Virologist Drosten wants “more decisive action” against H5N1
According to Drosten, it is still unknown “how often people who come into contact with these infected cows become infected.” Nevertheless, the virologist would like to see the USA take more decisive action, for example by isolating infected herds and considering certain hygiene measures. “Vaccinating cows” also needs to be considered, according to the expert.
Because, the virologist is certain: “We notice too late when a virus is already spreading.” The spread of the bird flu virus could certainly be “mild”. “But it could also be the start of the next pandemic, which we are following live here,” Drosten concludes his forecast. “If the virus succeeds in adapting to the human docking sites, the next pandemic is as good as certain,” said epidemiologist Alexander Kekulé in May 2024.
World would “probably be overwhelmed again” if pandemic threatened
Drosten cannot say how likely it is that the spread of H5N1 will result in a pandemic. But even if reliable data is still lacking, a new expert report from The Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response is already warning that the world is inadequately prepared for future pandemics. “If a pandemic were to threaten today – for example if H5N1 spread from person to person – the world would probably be overwhelmed again,” says former New Zealand Prime Minister and co-chair of the panel, Helen Clark.
The World Health Organization (WHO) also expressed concern about the spread of the H5N1 bird flu virus in the spring, and the high fatality rate of the disease in humans was particularly alarming. The first death as a result of an infection with the bird flu virus type A(H5N2) was only reported at the beginning of June.
