In recent years the world has experienced an increase in infectious diseases and Covid-19 and monkeypox are just some of the examples. But why is this happening? Here are the top 7 reasons:
7. Greater contact between humans and animals
With animals of pets and animal products traveling the world and meat consumption reaching record levels, humans are increasingly in contact with animals. According to the World Health Organization, 75% of current emerging pathogens “originate in animals”, a number that has been accelerating in recent decades.
6. Travel and Migration
The globalized world helps to spread diseases much faster than in the past. Any infectious disease is just a flight away. It is no wonder that one of the first attitudes to try to control the growth of covid was to close borders.
In 2022, both monkeypox and polio hitched a ride on planes, infecting people in new continents.
5. Climate crisis
According to an article published in the magazine Nature, most human pathogens on Earth will be “aggravated” by climate change in some way. Insects, for example, now have a much greater range. Zika was a known disease in Africa that has now spread to Asia and the Americas.
4. Insufficient vaccine routine
During the pandemic, the Vaccination rates have dropped around the world in a way that hasn’t been documented for decades. This setback in vaccination had been happening for some time, especially in rich countries, due to misinformation.
In some areas of Rockland County, New York, where polio has left at least one unvaccinated youth paralyzed this year, only 37% of children are up to date on their polio vaccines.
3. Neglect of disease outbreaks in developing countries
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The African continent has been dealing with monkeypox for years, but rich countries have never come forward to help. Now, with them being impacted by the disease, investments for the vaccine have started. If diseases are treated from the start in their place of origin, they will have a harder time spreading to other continents.
two. The perception of threats
The experience with the pandemic changed the way the population sees the emergence of new infectious diseases. In some cases, the concern is justified.
Covid-19 has also made the scientific community more alert. Every day there is some new disease appearing around the world and it is being identified much faster as professionals are more attentive than they used to be.
1. Impact of covid affected the immune system
New diseases are being treated more carefully now because it is still unclear what effect Covid-19 has on the immune system of those who have been infected. In the coming months and years, it will become clearer how the pandemic actually affected the population.
Another concern caused by the pandemic is the over-reliance on steroids and antibiotics and how this can spur more fungal infections, superbugs and antimicrobial resistance.
