Health Ministry prepared to face ‘Disease X’ threat

KUALA LUMPUR - The Health Ministry is ready to face any future pandemic possibilities, including the threat of ‘Disease X’ in the country.

Its minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said the World Health Organisation (WHO) would alert countries when a new disease threat emerged.

"It is called 'X' because the actual disease is still unknown, but the ministry is always prepared to face any possibility of this pandemic.

"When I attended the 78th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, the issue of Disease X was not being discussed among other health ministers.

"However, at Malaysia’s level, the ministry continuously monitors the emergence of new diseases as reported," she said.

She said this during a press conference after the handover ceremony of the Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL) operating theatre complex, intensive care unit and additional ward project here, today.

Also present during the ceremony was Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi.

It was reported that global health experts believed that the next major pandemic threat was getting closer and could claim millions of lives compared to Covid-19.

It was referred to as ‘Disease X’ by WHO and expected to occur at any time, suggesting the urgent preparation of vaccines as a quick response after the world was caught unprepared when facing Covid-19 in early 2020.