The Pandemic Perfect Storm

WHO (World Health Organization) tell it like it is 

"Emerging and re-emerging epidemic diseases pose an on-going threat to global health security." 

Here's the list of diseases they are watching and diseases that should concern us all

• Avian influenza

• Cholera

Emerging diseases (e.g. nodding disease)

• Hendra virus infection

Influenza (seasonal, pandemic)

• Leptospirosis

• Meningitis

• Nipah virus infection

• Plague

• Rift Valley fever

SARS and coronavirus infections

Smallpox and human monkeypox

• Tularaemia

Viral haemorrhagic fevers (Ebola, Marburg, Lassa, Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever, etc.)

• Yellow fever

One pandemic would be bad. Two pandemics at the same time could be devastating.  Are you prepared? 

Photo by tiverylucky on FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Scientists to revive 30,000-year-old giant virus. Is it dangerous?

30,000 year old virus

Scientists with the French National Centre for Scientific Research have discovered a new giant virus. 

The virus was trapped in the frozen ground of Siberia for 30,000 years.

The new virus is the fourth in a series of recently discovered prehistoric viruses, which began in 2003.The first discovery was the Mimivirus, followed by two Pandoraviruses.

Though the other ancient viruses discovered in the ice have proven harmless to humans and animals, some scientists say there is a small possibility that other dangerous viruses could be uncovered as the ground melts due to climate change.