Scientist who discovered Ebola virus fears ‘Disease X’ may hit the world soon: What is this new disease?

A suspected case of Disease X was reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Disease X is likely to be as fast-spreading as the COVID-19 and as deadly as the Ebola virus, according to scientists. Read on to know more about it.

At a time when countries around the world are launching mass vaccination drives against the novel coronavirus, raising hope for the end of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, a scientist has warned that the world could be hit by another potentially fatal disease, termed 'Disease X' soon. The disease is likely to be as fast-spreading as the COVID-19 and as deadly as the Ebola virus, according to Professor Jean-Jacques Muyembe Tamfum, who helped discover Ebola virus in 1976.

Professor Tamfum sounded an alarm that more deadly diseases are likely to be discovered in the near future and new potentially fatal viruses could emerge from Africa's tropical rainforests. He said that while the 'Disease X' is hypothetical, it could be deadly and might lead to destruction around the world.

Furthermore, Tamfum told CNN that more diseases that have the potential to threaten life can spread from animal to humans. He cited that diseases such as yellow fever, influenza, rabies, brucellosis, and Lyme disease had all jumped from animals to humans and had led to outbreaks causing epidemics or pandemics. He added that future pandemics could be worse than COVID-19.

DR Congo reported the first suspected case of Disease X

A suspected case of Disease X was reported in Ingende, Democratic Republic of the Congo, when a woman showed early symptoms of hemorrhagic fever. Doctors fear that it could be signs of 'Disease X', which stands for unexpected, unrecognised diseases that are likely to follow the COVID-19 pandemic and cause worldwide trouble soon. The patient underwent an Ebola test, but the results came negative. What is worrying now is that reports have suggested that the new pathogen could spread as fast as COVID-19.

Dadin Bonkole, who has been treating the patient with symptoms of hemorrhagic fever, also warned about new pathogens that can spread 'Disease X' similar to the COVID-19. What if this unknown disease has transmissibility higher than the SARS-CoV-2 and mortality rate worse than Ebola's 90 percent? 'It's a scientific fear, based on scientific facts,' Bonkole told CNN.

Humanity needs to be frightened as both Ebola and COVD-19 were previously unknown diseases to mankind, he added.

Disease X listed among priority diseases by WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) had already listed "Disease X" among priority diseases a few years ago, calling for urgent measures to accelerate research and development to tackle it.

It was included in the 2018 annual review of R&D Blueprint, a list developed by the WHO to identify, prioritise and accelerate research and development for diseases that lack efficacious drugs and/or vaccines and pose public health risk.

"Disease X represents the knowledge that a serious international epidemic could be caused by a pathogen currently unknown to cause human disease," WHO had said at that time.

Along with Disease X, the premier organization listed seven other potential global disease threats that lack an effective drug or vaccine. These include

• Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF)
• Ebola virus disease and Marburg virus disease
• Lassa fever
• Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV)
• Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
• Nipah and henipaviral diseases Rift Valley fever (RVF)
• Zika

These diseases pose major public health risks and further research and development is needed, including surveillance and diagnostics, the WHO had stated. In fact, the novel coronavirus was initially suspected as the WHO's mysterious 'Disease X'.