Buzz
Have you heard about the so-called new pandemic, allegedly caused by a virus that's 20 times deadlier than COVID and named 'Disease X'? If so, did you also hear that it's not a real virus but rather part of a thought experiment? If you only received part of the story, let me explain the full picture.
While most mainstream media outlets have correctly reported that Disease X is a theoretical danger and that world leaders are merely discussing how they would respond to another deadly pandemic, social media has distorted the message, fueling fear with posts suggesting Disease X is already among us.
Disease X is the World Health Organization's term for a hypothetical pandemic scenario
Although the World Health Organization is not always the best at communicating public health messages, it has included Disease X in its list of priority diseases, alongside others like COVID, Ebola, and Zika. Disease X, however, is marked with quotation marks and an asterisk, directing readers to a specific note.
Disease X refers to the possibility that a serious global epidemic might be caused by a pathogen that is not yet known to cause human disease. The R&D Blueprint aims to prepare for such an unknown 'Disease X' by fostering early, cross-cutting research and development.
In essence, the WHO emphasizes not only research on the eight top-priority diseases but also on studies that could help the world address future, unidentified pandemics.
To summarize, the international public health community uses 'Disease X' as shorthand for the potential of a worse pandemic in the future. This concept was discussed at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where world leaders focused on pandemic preparedness rather than a specific known disease.
People are discussing Disease X as though it is a real threat, but it is not.
The phrase 'Disease X' was first introduced in 2018, prior to COVID, and some have even suggested that COVID should be regarded as the first true Disease X. It's likely that if world leaders had focused more on preparing for Disease X, our response to the pandemic could have been more effective.
But why call it Disease X instead of simply saying 'another pandemic'? Naming it helps make it feel more tangible. We can imagine it as being '20 times more deadly than COVID' or as 'expected to be a zoonosis'—a disease that jumps from animals to humans. However, this doesn't imply we already know of a specific virus with those traits.
Essentially, giving it a name creates a scenario for discussion. Just like world leaders gather to discuss strategies to combat Disease X, my teenage son and his friends meet to discuss how a rogue, wizard, and cleric might defeat a dragon. But overhearing their conversation doesn’t mean I would rush to TikTok and warn everyone about a dragon's arrival.
This is, however, exactly what's happening now. This morning, I logged onto TikTok and saw a man claiming 'breaking news' that the next pandemic is imminent, with a Disease X headline on screen. He proceeds to share news about the Nipah virus, which is real, but has been on the WHO priority list for years—not actually Disease X.
In another video, an astrologer predicts that Ketu’s transit through Virgo will lead to 'new health concerns' this year. The voiceover doesn’t specify any particular disease or scenario, but the screen displays three different Disease X headlines.
In another clip, Bill Gates mentions, with what seems like a nervous smile, that we’ll need to “prepare for the next” pandemic, and it “will get attention this time.” This video has been circulating within COVID conspiracy circles since 2020, but now it's being shared with a caption suggesting Gates is behind Disease X. But as a reminder, Disease X doesn’t even exist.
It seems there's always talk of another pandemic looming on the horizon.
You might be surprised if you’re not in touch with public health or infectious disease experts, but these professionals are constantly discussing the potential of the next pandemic. Back in the early 2000s, my biology professors frequently pointed out the cyclical nature of flu pandemics, noting that we hadn’t experienced a major one in a while, so it was inevitable that we were due for one.
Given how COVID caught the global governments off guard, it’s only sensible to aim for better preparedness next time. A 2024 conversation about Disease X might seem more ominous compared to the one in 2018, but the essence remains the same: nature has a knack for creating terrifying new diseases, from major ones like HIV in the 1980s to brief but impactful ones like SARS in 2003. Will there be another like COVID? Most likely, eventually. Instead of succumbing to fear, let’s hope the ongoing discussions around Disease X lead to actual improvements in preparedness.
