WHO warns of next pandemic, "With even deadlier potential"

The head of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, issued a warning that the world must get ready for the next pandemic, which might be "even deadlier" than the COVID-19 pandemic, at a time when COVID cases are somewhat stabilising around the world.

"The end of COVID-19 as a global health emergency is not the end of COVID-19 as a global health threat," Mr Tedros said.

The head of the WHO said this as he presented his report to the 76th World Health Assembly.

Furthermore, in the face of overlapping and converging crises, "pandemics are far from the only threat we face", he added, underscoring the need for effective global mechanisms that address and respond to emergencies of all kinds.

The pandemic also affected progress towards the Triple Billion targets, announced at the 2017 World Health Assembly.

The five-year initiative calls for ensuring one billion more people have universal health coverage, a billion more are better protected from health emergencies, and another billion more enjoy better health and wellbeing.