Ebola, Hantavirus outbreaks expose gaps in pandemic preparedness, expert warns
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Recent Ebola and hantavirus outbreaks have exposed continuing weaknesses in global pandemic preparedness despite improvements in emergency response systems since the COVID-19 crisis, pandemic expert Helen Clark said on Tuesday.
Clark, co-chair of the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response, said international health regulations introduced after COVID-19 had helped authorities respond more effectively to recent outbreaks.
Speaking in Geneva, she said the global response to the new Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship had been relatively swift once alerts were issued.
However, Clark warned that the larger problem lies in identifying risks early enough to prevent outbreaks from spreading undetected.
She said more work was needed on “risk-informed preparedness”, including stronger surveillance systems and early detection mechanisms.
The hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius triggered international concern after three people died. Clark noted that the virus strain involved was already known to exist in the region of Argentina where the ship departed, but questioned whether shipping operators were sufficiently aware of the risks.
She also raised concerns about the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola outbreak in Congo, which is believed to have killed more than 130 people before being identified. According to Clark, the outbreak may have spread for weeks because testing focused on a different Ebola strain returned negative results.
Clark called for a detailed investigation into how the virus circulated undetected and what lessons could be learned.
She also warned that global aid cuts were weakening disease prevention efforts in poorer countries. Calling the situation a “perfect storm”, Clark said fragile nations were struggling to replace donor funding for healthcare systems.
She stressed that global cooperation remained essential because infectious diseases can quickly cross borders and affect multiple countries.