Part 2/9:
The World Health Organization (WHO) has been proactive in identifying and prioritizing diseases that pose significant threats to global health. Since 2015, they've maintained a "Blueprint of Priority Diseases," a concise list that guides research, development, and response strategies. Interestingly, this list is remarkably small—just a tiny part of a standard-sized piece of paper—yet its impact is profound.
The idea behind Disease X is not that it refers to a single, known disease. Instead, it symbolizes the unknown and unexpected pathogens that could cause future pandemics. It’s akin to a concept of "an X factor" in infectious diseases—those outbreaks we haven't seen yet but must prepare for proactively.