Report.az·September 25, 2026
WHO chief warns new pandemic is inevitable
The warning
Tedros said a new respiratory pathogen could produce consequences comparable to COVID-19. He framed the risk as a continuing feature of global health rather than as evidence of a specific disease currently spreading worldwide.[3]
Why preparedness matters
The statement reflects the difficulty of predicting which pathogens might acquire sustained human-to-human transmission. Local outbreaks can begin in any country and spread internationally before their significance is recognized.
What to watch
For now, the available reporting does not show that a new pandemic has begun. Surveillance, transparent reporting, laboratory capacity, and rapid access to countermeasures remain the main safeguards against escalation.