A 2018 study from Johns Hopkins warned of 'Disease X,' a hypothetical pathogen with pandemic potential. The WHO took it seriously, and experts highlight striking parallels with COVID-19.
A Bloomberg article on February 22, 2020, referenced 'Disease X' from a 2018 simulation by the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in the US. This fictional virus, 'Clade X,' modeled a severe global threat.
In a note published in the journal Cell, Marion Koopmans of Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam described a 'pandemic challenge' fitting Disease X. Nancy Messonnier, then-director of the CDC's Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, noted the outbreak was likely to reach the US.
The South China Morning Post reported 80,559 confirmed COVID-19 cases, 2,711 deaths, and over 27,000 recoveries. Hotspots emerged in South Korea (1,146 cases, 11 deaths), Italy (323 cases, 4 deaths), and Iran (95 cases, 14 deaths).
Post-study, the WHO added Disease X to its priority list alongside SARS and MERS coronaviruses, urging preparedness for unknown threats. COVID-19 aligned with this, as the WHO anticipated the next epidemic could be unprecedented.
The novel coronavirus mirrored Disease X in its pandemic scope and initial absence of targeted drugs or vaccines. Dr. Bernadette Murgue of the WHO elaborated on Disease X in the video below.
Source
Related Articles:
