Russia's Rospotrebnadzor ready to counter new infections amid talk of Disease X

MOSCOW. March 11 (Interfax) - Preparedness for new infectious challenges in Russia is currently at a high level, and specialists are engaged in the development of new vaccines and testing systems, Russian consumer health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor said.

Head of China's National Administration of Disease Control and Prevention Wang Hesheng said earlier that it would be difficult to avoid the emergence of a new potential disease called Disease X, but it is possible to prevent and cope with a pandemic.

"Russian specialists are developing new vaccines and testing systems. Rospotrebnadzor employees are working with representatives of other countries to identify emerging threats promptly and respond to them in a timely manner [...]. As of today, Russia's preparedness for new infectious challenges is at a high level," the watchdog's press service said.

Rospotrebnadzor noted that the scientific community annually discusses Disease X on the platforms of well-known fora, congresses and conferences. This issue regularly arises in the information space and is favorable to large pharmaceutical companies, in particular, due to the recollection of the coronavirus pandemic.

"The term Disease X has existed for many years. The definition implies an abstract disease caused by an unknown pathogen, and the timeframe for its emergence is unknown," it said.

In January, the World Economic Forum discussed preparations for a possible pandemic or epidemic due to Disease X, which could lead to a multiple increase in mortality compared to coronavirus. Rospotrebnadzor said at the time that Russia has all capabilities needed to counter biological threats, including Disease X, and could respond to threats in a timely and appropriate manner.