Disease X: A Hypothetical Threat for Future Pandemic Preparedness

Despite Social Media Misconceptions, Disease X Represents an Unknown Future Threat, Not a Current Pandemic

Disease X is a hypothetical threat used by the World Health Organization (WHO) and global health experts to discuss and prepare for potential future pandemics.
The term 'Disease X' was introduced in 2018, before the COVID-19 pandemic, and is used to prioritize research and preparations for diseases that do not yet have vaccines or drug treatments.
Despite misconceptions on social media, Disease X is not a specific, known disease. It represents an unknown illness that could pose a serious microbial threat to humans in the future.
At the recent World Economic Forum in Davos, a panel of health industry leaders discussed the importance of preplanning for the outbreak of a hypothetical 'Disease X'.
Preparations for a potential Disease X involve international cooperation on research and development, increasing surveillance of disease to quickly detect any novel pathogens, and developing country-level initiatives such as tentative response plans in the event of an outbreak.