Experts are warning that the next possible pandemic could come from animals. They say government officials should start investing in pandemic prevention efforts as early as now to prevent history from repeating itself.
The World Health Organization reported that approximately 1 billion cases and millions of deaths can be traced back to diseases that have originated from animal populations.
Scientists say the pace of pandemics has accelerated dramatically as humans continue its ever-encroaching proximity to wildlife. Take it from SARS which happened two decades ago, then West Nile, Ebola, and Zika, many of which were said to have originated with bats.
“The time between these outbreaks is getting shorter and shorter,” said Dr. Tracey McNamara, a professor of pathology at Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine.
Experts believe officials should deploy more teams of biologists, zoologists, and veterinarians to monitor animals and the people who interact with them.
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