War or another global pandemic, Microsoft CEO Bill Gates is cautioning that, if the world manages to avoid the former, the latter is a very real possibility within the next 25 years.
"A lot of unrest" in today's age could spark a major war, he told CNBC's "Make It."
"If we avoid a big war ... then, yes, there will be another pandemic, most likely in the next 25 years," he continued.
After seeing the ill-preparedness for the COVID-19 pandemic, Gates joined the league of scientific minds who fear how the world might fare if another global health emergency were to sweep through the population.
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Gates authored a book in 2022 on the subject called, "How to Prevent the Next Pandemic" where he addressed shortcomings in preparedness to handle the effects of widespread illnesses, including enhanced quarantine techniques and investment in vaccine research, according to the report.
He told the outlet, "The country that the world expected to lead and be the model fell short of those expectations," speaking of the United States.
COVID-19 vaccines became the fastest ever created, going from identifying the pathogen to creating a vaccine for it in less than 12 months, UCLA Health stated.
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However, treatments and preventative measures – as well as increased natural immunity – followed the struggles of full hospital beds, a shortage of ventilators and the loss of millions worldwide.
Infectious disease experts have since weighed the chances of another pandemic emerging in the near future.
Though the origins of coronavirus remain disputed, experts insist a pathogen could eventually jump from animals to humans and bring about a new illness.
Mpox and bird flu have already made headlines as a potential threat. The World Health Organization Director-General declared Mpox, which is spread through close contact or sharing items like towels and beds, a "public health emergency of international concern" in August.
