Another pandemic loading? 7 years since the world witnessed the massive outbreak of the highly lethal COVID-19 pandemic – that reshaped global health systems and proved how quickly a microscopic virus can disrupt economies, the world is not on the verge of battling other equally dangerous and lethal viruses. According to the latest updates, virologists have warned against ignoring the other viruses as they too have the potential to trigger another pandemic.In this article we will take a close look at these dangerous threats and their abilities in triggering the NEXT PANDEMIC.
10 Viruses That Can Trigger The Next Pandemic
Are you curious to know the viruses which can trigger the next pandemic? Then make sure to read this article till the end. Here is a complete list of 10 dangerous virsues that can trigger a new pandemic:
Nipah Virus – One That Targets The Brain
Nipah is a deadly virus with no vaccine or cure and is considered a high-risk pathogen by the World Health Organization. Experts say human infections are rare and usually occur when the virus spills over from bats, often through contaminated fruit.
The virus is known for its extremely high fatality rate, which can range between 40% and 75%, Nipah spreads through fruit bats, contaminated food, and close human contact. It can trigger severe respiratory illness and brain inflammation (encephalitis). With no widely available vaccine and limited treatment options, even small outbreaks raise serious public health concerns.
Bird Flu or H5N1 Virus
Equally concerning is H5N1 avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu. Avian influenza, commonly called “bird flu,” is a viral infection that spreads in birds, cows and other animals. It can sometimes spread to people. In humans, H5 subtypes of influenza A are the most common cause. It can cause mild to severe respiratory symptoms and pink eye. People who work with poultry, waterfowl and dairy cows are most at risk.
Ebola Virus With 90% Fatality Rate
The Ebola virus remains one of the deadliest viruses known, causing hemorrhagic fever and multi-organ failure. Fatality rates have reached as high as 90% in some outbreaks. Though vaccines now exist, sporadic flare-ups continue in parts of Africa. Closely related is the Marburg virus, which causes similar severe bleeding disorders and carries a high mortality rate. Recent cases have reinforced fears that delayed detection could allow wider spread.
Lassa Virus
In West Africa, the Lassa virus continues to infect thousands annually. Spread primarily through contact with rodent urine or droppings, Lassa fever often begins with mild symptoms, making early detection difficult. Urban crowding and poor sanitation increase its outbreak potential.
Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus
Climate change has also drawn attention to the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus, a tick-borne virus that causes severe internal bleeding. As rising temperatures expand tick habitats, regions previously unaffected may face new risks. The virus carries a mortality rate of up to 40%, and there is no widely approved vaccine available.
Coronaviruses and Mosquito-Borne Viruses Remain a Threat
Even after years of global vaccination campaigns, SARS-CoV-2 continues to evolve. While severe illness has decreased in many regions, new variants with immune escape capabilities remain a possibility. Coronaviruses have proven unpredictable, and scientists maintain strict genomic surveillance.
Mosquito-borne viruses also remain on high alert lists. The Zika virus gained worldwide attention after being linked to birth defects such as microcephaly. Though symptoms are often mild in adults, its impact on fetal development makes it a significant public health concern. Warmer climates are expanding mosquito habitats, increasing outbreak risks.
Similarly, MERS-CoV, which spreads from camels to humans, has a fatality rate of about 35%. Though human-to-human transmission remains limited, experts remain cautious. Another rodent-borne pathogen, Hantavirus, can cause sudden and severe respiratory failure. Increased human interaction with wildlife habitats raises exposure risks.
What Makes a Virus Pandemic-Ready?
According to virologists, a virus does not need to be the deadliest to cause a pandemic. It must spread efficiently between humans, often before symptoms appear, and encounter a population with little or no immunity. A longer incubation period allows silent transmission, while global air travel enables pathogens to cross continents within hours.
Is The World Ready For Another Pandemic?
While experts agree that another pandemic is inevitable, exactly what, where and when is impossible to predict.
New health threats emerge frequently. World health leaders declared an outbreak of mpox in Africa an international public health emergency in 2024. As the year ended, teams of specialists were probing a potential outbreak of an unknown illness in a remote area of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, now thought to be cases of severe malaria and other diseases exacerbated by acute malnutrition.
Maria van Kerkhove, interim director of epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention at the World Health Organization (WHO), is concerned about the bird flu situation – the virus is not spreading human to human but there have been an increasing number of human infections in the past year.
While there is a well-established international monitoring system specifically focused on influenza, surveillance in sectors such as trade and agriculture, where humans and animals mix, is not comprehensive enough, she says. And she stresses that the ability to properly assess the risk “depends on the detection, the sequencing, the transparency of countries to share those samples”.
The Covid-19 pandemic left health systems worldwide “really shaky” and has been followed by a long list of other health crises, she says. “Seasonal influenza started circulating, we had an mpox emergency, we’ve had Marburg, we’ve had cholera, we’ve had earthquakes, we’ve had floods, measles, diphtheria, dengue, Oropouche. Health systems are really buckling under the weight and our health workforce globally.
