Epidemic of unknown disease will claim 80 million lives in 36 hours, warned

New York: In 1918, the outbreak of the Spanish Influenza had claimed lives of more than 50 million people the world over. On the same lines, if a new disease spreads across the world, it could kill 80 million people in 36 hours, warned an international study group. This is the third instance where a new epidemic at the international level has attracted attention. Earlier, even Microsoft chief Bill Gates and John Hopkins University had issued serious warnings regarding outbreak of an unknown epidemic.

Last year, the World health Organisation (WHO) and the World Bank had formed an independent group named ‘Global Preparedness Monitoring Board’ (GPMB). This group has been entrusted the responsibility of ensuring necessary preparedness to face any major crisis in the health sector, at the international level. Along with health sector experts the group includes chiefs of various voluntary organisations and political leaders. GPMB has recently prepared a detailed report regarding the situation in the health sector and presented it to the United Nations.

A report named ‘A World at Risk’ seriously warns of a pandemic of an unknown disease, at the international level. The report mentions the Ebola, Cholera and Measles epidemics ravaging the world and underlines the threat of a pandemic of a more dangerous and life-threatening disease. The report refers to the devastations caused by the Spanish Influenza pandemic, a hundred years ago, in 1918, to explain the possible extent of the pandemic of the new disease.

Spanish Influenza is said to have claimed more than 50 million lives in the last century. GPMB has issued a sensational warning that pandemic of the new disease could claim between 50 to 80 million lives, in just 36 hours. Moreover, the report also warns that 5% of the global economy can be permanently erased during this period.

The report points out that the spread of the disease is the fastest in the regions with a weak health infrastructure and systems. ‘A World at Risk’ report makes a sincere appeal to leaders of all the countries, various health organisations and voluntary groups to unite and take the responsibility for this preparedness. The report also suggests to take some bold steps for this.

Last year, a symposium, ‘Epidemics Going Viral’, was organised in the United States. During the symposium, Microsoft chief Bill Gates, had made a sensational claim that more than 30 million would be killed, in just six months, in a pandemic of a dangerous disease whereas, the John Hopkins University, in their report ‘The Characteristics of Pandemic Pathogens’ had warned that the new pandemic could be air borne affecting the respiratory system and may claim millions of lives.

The WHO published the ‘Blueprint List of Priority Diseases’ which has a mention of ‘Disease X’ and pointed that it could be created through a biological mutation.