The world faces a mounting threat of pandemics that could kill millions and wreak economic havoc, a international expert panel warns, saying governments should work to mitigate that risk.
The Global Preparedness Monitoring Board, convened by the World Bank and the World Health Organization, said in a report released on Wednesday that epidemic-prone viral diseases like Ebola, flu and SARS are increasingly tough to manage in a world dominated by lengthy conflicts, fragile states and forced migration.
"The threat of a pandemic spreading around the globe is a real one," the group said. "A quick-moving pathogen has the potential to kill tens of millions of people, disrupt economies and destabilize national security."