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Prevention and One Health

Prevention of novel outbreaks is key to avoiding the next crisis. Since an estimated 60%-75% of new or emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic in origin, we must address animal health threats before they can spill over to become human health threats. In new research just published, biodiversity loss, climate change, and chemical pollution were found to all contribute to disease emergence. A “One Health” approach recognizes the intersections between animal health, human health, and the environment. Global regulation of land use and deforestation, trade in wild animals, intensive farming and the overuse of antibiotics in farmed animals, and wet markets (which likely originated Covid-19) could all help prevent zoonotic spillovers. Protecting dairy farmers, for example, could help prevent a wider human outbreak of H5N1 influenza. While One Health has been deeply contested by delegates, by the close of talks significant paths forward were in sight, including negotiation of an annex to the treaty on prevention and One Health.

SEE: The world needs the new pandemic treaty - STAT (statnews.com)

https://www.statnews.com/2024/05/27/pandemic-agreement-world-health-assembly/