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Covid isn’t over yet, but scientists fear the next pandemic is already lurking just around the corner waiting to pounce.

Deadly diseases like Ebola and Nipah — which kill up to 75 per cent of people they strike — are two of the biggest threats.

Others pathogenic hazards, which could theoretically sweep the world if given the opportunity, include bird flu, Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) and the plague.

UK health officials are constantly monitoring the threats around the planet, in order not to be caught off-guard.

The data published by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) revealed that there are 15 different diseases that account for each country's high consequence infectious disease. Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever, the biggest disease threat in Argentina, was the most widely reported disease threat, accounting for a HCID disease in 60 different countries

The data published by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) revealed that there are 15 different diseases that account for each country’s high consequence infectious disease. Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever, the biggest disease threat in Argentina, was the most widely reported disease threat, accounting for a HCID disease in 60 different countries

What are the world’s deadliest disease threats? 

In its latest update, UKHSA listed 15 different lethal pathogens that pose the biggest infection threat to each country worldwide. These are: 

  • Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF)
  • Plague
  • Marburg
  • Junin virus
  • Andes virus
  • Avian influenza
  • Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV)
  • Nipah virus
  • Lassa fever
  • Machupo virus
  • Severe fever with thrombocytopaenia syndrome (SFTS) 
  • Ebola
  • Monkeypox (Mpox)
  • Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
  • Lujo virus 

The UK Health Security Agency’s (UKHSA) list, updated this week, includes 15 of the most frightening infectious diseases. 

These are known as high consequence infectious diseases (HCID).

For a pathogen to be given this category, it typically has a high fatality rate and requires an official organised response to ensure it is managed effectively, because symptoms are often difficult to recognise.

The list breaks the data down country by country and shows if human cases have been spotted.

Yet it warns that locally acquired HCIDs can re-emerge in countries where they were previously eradicated ‘if the necessary transmission factors are present’. 

But in the same fashion, for countries where the only ‘supporting evidence’ of a HCID is ‘human serology’ – the study of blood – the true risk ‘may be lower and the data should be interpreted with caution’, UKHSA advised. 

The data was created to allow health professionals to assess the infection risk to each country.

But it is also publicly available for anyone to access online. 

China has the most known HCIDs at seven, including three different strains of Avian influenza A, commonly known as bird flu.

These were H5N1, H7N9 and H5N6.   

Fears of a potentially devastating bird flu pandemic were heightened last week after a ‘worrisome’ outbreak among mink.

For decades, scientists have warned that the disease is the most likely contender for triggering the next pandemic.

Experts say this is because of the threat of recombination — which could see a deadly strain of bird flu merge with a transmissible seasonal flu.

Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF), severe fever with thrombocytopaenia syndrome (SFTS), SARS and the plague accounted for the final four HCIDs in China. 

SFTS, or severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome, is a disease transmitted by bites from a certain group of virus-carrying ticks. 

It triggers symptoms including severe fever, vomiting, and diarrhoea.  

Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a viral disease which is also mainly transmitted by ticks, which can prove fatal for up to 40 per cent of cases. 

The Ebola-like disease shares similar symptoms at the start of infection including muscle ache, abdominal pain, a sore throat and vomiting among numerous others.

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Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a viral respiratory disease caused by a SARS-associated coronavirus. 

It is the earlier, more deadly cousin of SARS-COV-2, commonly known now as Covid, which first originated in China in 2002. 

SFTS, or severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome, is a disease transmitted by bites from a certain group of virus-carrying ticks

SFTS, or severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome, is a disease transmitted by bites from a certain group of virus-carrying ticks

CCHF was the most widely reported disease threat, listed in 60 different countries including Afghanistan, Argentina, Croatia and Portugal. 

Among the rarest HCIDs reported included Lassa fever, a rodent-borne disease, in 13 countries, Marburg in seven, the original clade of monkeypox (Mpox) in five and Lujo virus in just one – Zambia. 

People usually become infected with Lassa fever after exposure to food or household items contaminated with urine or faeces of infected rats.

But the virus, which can make women bleed from their vagina and trigger seizures, can also be transmitted via bodily fluids.

A deadly cousin of Ebola, Marburg kills between a quarter and 90 per cent of everyone who gets infected.

Infected patients become ‘ghost-like’, often developing deep-set eyes and expressionless faces. This is usually accompanied by bleeding from multiple orifices — including the nose, gums, eyes and vagina.

Monkeypox is usually spread by infected rodents — including rats, mice and even squirrels.

Humans can catch the illness — which comes from the same family as smallpox — if they’re bitten by infected animals, touch their blood, bodily fluids, or scabs, or eat wild game or bush meat.

It differs starkly to the surge in cases seen last year in the UK, which predominantly infected gay men and spread through close contact. 

Lujo virus was first identified in 2008 after a small but severe outbreak in Africa, but little is known about the rodent-borne disease.  

The other seven lethal diseases mentioned on the list that pose the highest infection threat include: the plague, Ebola, Junin virus, Andes virus, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), Nipah virus and Machupo virus.

But UKHSA noted that for countries where the only ‘supporting evidence’ of a HCID is ‘human serology’ – the study of blood – the true risk ‘may be lower and the data should be interpreted with caution’. 

Some 104 countries recorded no known HCIDs, including Australia, France, Tonga and Singapore. 

The UK and US both reported bird flu — strain H5N1 — as their only known HCID risk. 

Biggest disease threat by country  
CountryHCID Pathogen/DiseaseEvidence
AfghanistanCrimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF)Human cases
PlagueHuman cases
AlbaniaCCHFHuman cases
AlgeriaPlagueHuman cases
American SamoaNo known HCIDs
AndorraNo known HCIDs
AngolaMarburgHuman cases
PlagueHuman cases
AnguillaNo known HCIDs
Antigua & BarbudaNo known HCIDs
ArgentinaJunin virusHuman cases
Andes virusHuman cases
ArmeniaCCHFHuman serology (a)
AustraliaNo known HCIDs
AustriaNo known HCIDs
AzerbaijanAvian influenza A(H5N1)Human cases
Bahamas, TheNo known HCIDs
BahrainMERSHuman cases
BangladeshAvian influenza A(H5N1)Human cases
CCHFHuman cases
Nipah virusHuman cases
BarbadosNo known HCIDs
BelarusNo known HCIDs
BelgiumNo known HCIDs
BelizeNo known HCIDs
BeninCCHFHuman serology
Lassa feverHuman cases
BermudaNo known HCIDs
BhutanNo known HCIDs
BoliviaPlagueHuman cases
Machupo virusHuman cases
Bosnia & Herzegovina (b)CCHFHuman serology (c)
BotswanaCCHFHuman serology
PlagueHuman cases
BrazilPlagueHuman cases
BruneiNo known HCIDs
BulgariaCCHFHuman cases
Burkina FasoLassa feverHuman cases
Burma (Myanmar)PlagueHuman cases
SFTSHuman cases
BurundiNo known HCIDs
CambodiaAvian influenza A (H5N1)Human cases
CameroonCCHFHuman serology
EbolaHuman serology (a)
Mpox (monkeypox)Human cases
CanadaNo known HCIDs
Canary IslandsNo known HCIDs
Cape VerdeNo known HCIDs
Central African RepublicEbolaHuman serology (a)
Lassa feverHuman serology (a)
MpoxHuman cases
ChadEbolaHuman serology (a)
ChileAndes virusHuman cases
ChinaAvian influenza A(H5N1)Human cases
Avian influenza A(H7N9)Human cases
Avian influenza A(H5N6)Human cases
CCHFHuman cases
PlagueHuman cases
SARSHuman cases
SFTSHuman cases
ColombiaNo known HCIDs
ComorosNo known HCIDs
Congo, Republic of theCCHFHuman serology
EbolaHuman cases
Lassa feverHuman serology
MpoxHuman cases
Cook IslandsNo known HCIDs
Costa RicaNo known HCIDs
Cote dIvoireCCHFHuman serology (c)
EbolaHuman cases
Lassa feverHuman cases
CroatiaCCHFHuman cases (a)
CubaNo known HCIDs
CuracaoNo known HCIDs
CyprusNo known HCIDs
Czech RepublicNo known HCIDs
Democratic Republic of the CongoCCHFHuman cases
EbolaHuman cases
MarburgHuman cases
MpoxHuman cases
PlagueHuman cases
DenmarkNo known HCIDs
DjiboutiNo known HCIDs
DominicaNo known HCIDs
Dominican RepublicNo known HCIDs
EcuadorPlagueHuman cases
EgyptAvian influenza A(H5N1)Human cases
CCHFHuman cases
PlagueHuman cases (a)
El SalvadorNo known HCIDs
Equatorial GuineaCCHFHuman serology (a)
EbolaHuman serology (a)
EritreaNo known HCIDs
EstoniaNo known HCIDs
EthiopiaEbolaHuman serology (a)
FijiNo known HCIDs
FinlandNo known HCIDs
FranceNo known HCIDs
French GuianaNo known HCIDs
French PolynesiaNo known HCIDs
GabonEbolaHuman cases
MpoxHuman cases
Gambia, TheCCHFHuman serology (c)
GeorgiaCCHFHuman cases
GermanyNo known HCIDs
GhanaCCHFHuman serology
Lassa feverHuman cases
MarburgHuman cases
GreeceCCHFHuman cases
GreenlandNo known HCIDs
GrenadaNo known HCIDs
GuadeloupeNo known HCIDs
GuamNo known HCIDs
GuatemalaNo known HCIDs
GuineaEbolaHuman cases
MarburgHuman case
Lassa feverHuman cases
Guinea-BissauCCHFHuman serology (c)
GuyanaNo known HCIDs
HaitiNo known HCIDs
HondurasNo known HCIDs
Hong KongSARSHuman cases
HungaryNo known HCIDs
IcelandNo known HCIDs
IndiaAvian influenza A(H5N1)Human cases
CCHFHuman cases
Nipah virusHuman cases
PlagueHuman cases
IndonesiaAvian influenza A(H5N1)Human cases
IranCCHFHuman cases
MERSHuman cases
IraqAvian influenza A(H5N1)Human cases
CCHFHuman cases
PlagueHuman cases
IrelandAvian influenza A(H7N7)Human case
IsraelNo known HCIDs
ItalyAvian influenza A(H7N7)Human cases
JamaicaNo known HCIDs
JapanSFTSHuman cases
JordanMERSHuman cases
PlagueHuman cases
KazakhstanCCHFHuman cases
PlagueHuman cases
KenyaCCHFHuman cases
EbolaHuman serology (a)
MarburgHuman cases (a)
MERSHuman serology
PlagueHuman cases
KiribatiNo known HCIDs
Korea, NorthNo known HCIDs
Korea, SouthSFTSHuman cases
KosovoCCHFHuman cases
KuwaitCCHFHuman cases
MERSHuman cases
KyrgyzstanCCHFHuman cases
PlagueHuman cases
LaosPlagueHuman cases
Avian influenza A(H5N6)Human cases
LatviaNo known HCIDs
LebanonPlagueHuman cases (a)
LesothoCCHFHuman serology (c)
PlagueHuman cases (a)
LiberiaEbolaHuman cases
Lassa feverHuman cases
LibyaPlagueHuman cases
LiechtensteinNo known HCIDs
LithuaniaNo known HCIDs
LuxembourgNo known HCIDs
MacauNo known HCIDs
MacedoniaCCHFHuman cases (a)
MadagascarEbolaHuman serology (a)
PlagueHuman cases
MalawiPlagueHuman cases
MalaysiaNipah virusHuman cases
MaldivesNo known HCIDs
MaliCCHFHuman cases
Lassa feverHuman cases
MaltaNo known HCIDs
Marshall IslandsNo known HCIDs
MauritaniaCCHFHuman cases
PlagueHuman cases (a)
MauritiusNo known HCIDs
MexicoNo known HCIDs
MicronesiaNo known HCIDs
MoldovaCCHFHuman cases (a)
MonacoNo known HCIDs
MongoliaCCHFHuman serology
PlagueHuman cases
Montenegro (b)CCHFPresumed endemic
MoroccoPlagueHuman cases (a)
MozambiqueCCHFHuman serology
PlagueHuman cases
NamibiaCCHFHuman cases
PlagueHuman cases
NauruNo known HCIDs
NepalAvian influenza A(H5N1)Human cases
PlagueHuman cases
NetherlandsAvian influenza A(H7N7)Human cases
New ZealandNo known HCIDs
NicaraguaNo known HCIDs
NigerNo known HCIDs
NigeriaAvian influenza A(H5N1)Human cases
CCHFHuman cases
EbolaHuman serology (a)
Lassa feverHuman cases
NorwayNo known HCIDs
OmanCCHFHuman cases
MERSHuman cases
PakistanAvian influenza A(H5N1)Human cases
CCHFHuman cases
PlagueHuman cases
PalauNo known HCIDs
PanamaNo known HCIDs
Papua New GuineaNo known HCIDs
ParaguayNo known HCIDs
PeruPlagueHuman cases
Andes virusHuman serology
PhilippinesNo known HCIDs
PolandNo known HCIDs
PortugalCCHFHuman serology (a)
Puerto RicoNo known HCIDs
QatarMERSHuman cases
RomaniaNo known HCIDs
RussiaCCHFHuman cases
PlagueHuman cases
RwandaNo known HCIDs
Saint Kitts & NevisNo known HCIDs
Saint LuciaNo known HCIDs
Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesNo known HCIDs
SamoaNo known HCIDs
San MarinoNo known HCIDs
Sao Tome & PrincipeNo known HCIDs
Saudi ArabiaCCHFHuman cases
MERSHuman cases
PlagueHuman cases
SenegalCCHFHuman cases
PlagueHuman cases (a)
SerbiaCCHFHuman cases
SeychellesNo known HCIDs
Sierra LeoneEbolaHuman cases
Lassa feverHuman cases
SingaporeNo known HCIDs
Sint MaartenNo known HCIDs
SlovakiaNo known HCIDs
Slovenia (b)CCHFPresumed endemic
Solomon IslandsNo known HCIDs
SomaliaNo known HCIDs
South AfricaCCHFHuman cases
PlagueHuman cases (a)
South SudanCCHFHuman serology (c)
EbolaHuman cases
SpainAvian influenza A(H5N1)Human cases
CCHFHuman cases
Sri LankaNo known HCIDs
State of PalestineNo known HCIDs
SudanCCHFHuman cases
SurinameNo known HCIDs
SwazilandCCHFHuman serology (c)
SwedenNo known HCIDs
SwitzerlandNo known HCIDs
SyriaPlagueHuman cases (a)
TaiwanSARSHuman cases
SFTSHuman cases
TajikistanCCHFHuman cases
TanzaniaCCHFHuman serology (a)
EbolaOctober 2019: probable human case
PlagueHuman cases
ThailandSFTSHuman cases
Timor-LesteNo known HCIDs
TogoLassa feverHuman cases
TongaNo known HCIDs
Trinidad & TobagoNo known HCIDs
TunisiaCCHFHuman serology
PlagueHuman cases (a)
TurkeyAvian influenza A(H5N1)Human cases
CCHFHuman cases
TurkmenistanPlagueHuman cases
TuvaluNo known HCIDs
UgandaCCHFHuman cases
EbolaHuman cases
Lassa feverHuman serology (a)
MarburgHuman cases
PlagueHuman cases
UkraineCCHFHuman cases
United Arab EmiratesCCHFHuman cases
MERSHuman cases
United KingdomAvian influenza A(H5N1)Human case
United StatesAvian influenza A(H5N1)Human case
PlagueHuman cases
UruguayNo known HCIDs
UzbekistanCCHFHuman cases
PlagueHuman cases
VanuatuNo known HCIDs
VenezuelaNo known HCIDs
VietnamAvian influenza A(H5N1)Human cases
PlagueHuman cases
SFTSHuman cases
Western SaharaNo known HCIDs
YemenMERSHuman cases
PlagueHuman cases (a)
ZambiaPlagueHuman cases
Lujo virusHuman cases
ZimbabweCCHFHuman serology (a)
EbolaHuman serology (a)
MarburgHuman cases (a)
PlagueHuman cases
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