THE next global pandemic could be 100 times worse than the coronavirus outbreak, a top expert is warning. Dr Michael Herschel Greger has claimed that despite countries passing the peak of the Covid-19 crisis – the worse could be yet to come. The US nutrition expert says that overcrowded poultry farms where chickens are kept close […]
THE next global pandemic could be 100 times worse than the coronavirus outbreak, a top expert is warning.
Dr Michael Herschel Greger has claimed that despite countries passing the peak of the Covid-19 crisis – the worse could be yet to come.
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The US nutrition expert says that overcrowded poultry farms where chickens are kept close in contact with each other could trigger the next pandemic.
And Dr Greger believes that a more deadly pandemic, perhaps “100 times worse when it comes” could produce a “fatality rate of one in two”.
It comes as the current coronavirus outbreak has caused 404,000 deaths worldwide – with the death toll in the UK currently standing at 40,883.
Writing in his new book ‘How To Survive A Pandemic’, Dr Greger says chickens that are mass-produced for food are often kept in cramped spaces, and this could be one of the ideal breeding grounds for viral diseases such as bird flu.
When you cram thousands of chronically stressed animals into crowded, filthy, indoor facilities, you create a cocktail for a deadly virus
Dr Michael Herschel Greger
“If you want to create catastrophic pandemics, then build factory farms,” he said in a statement sent to Plant Based News.
“When you cram thousands of chronically stressed animals into crowded, filthy, indoor facilities, you create a cocktail for a deadly virus.”
Bird flu or avian flu is a highly contagious viral infection that is transmitted between birds and on rare occasions, from birds to humans.
According to Dr Greger, the bird flu outbreak in Hong Kong in 1997 was directly acquired from the birds kept in poultry farms.
And he pointed out that of the 18 individuals infected, six had died – which was a very high case fatality rate.
Dr Greger explained that there had been several bird flu outbreaks in China despite several efforts to eliminate the virus.
Millions of chickens have been culled in an effort to stop the spread of the infection.
He added: “The worry is that the virus never stands still but is always mutating.
This is the monster lurking in the undergrowth, the one that makes epidemiologists shudder
Dr Michael Herschel Greger
“This is the monster lurking in the undergrowth, the one that makes epidemiologists shudder.”
Dr Greger is now calling for several measures that could be adopted to prevent viral pandemics of the future – including the modification of the current methods of poultry farming.
He added: “Covid-19 has shown us how devastating an animal-born outbreak can be.
“But the best way for a Government to properly protect its people against future pandemics, is to end factory farming.
“I urge the UK Government to take steps to do so immediately, and responsibly address this crisis waiting to happen.”
Dr Gemma Newman, also known as the Plant Powered Doctor, also issued a warning about factory farming and future pandemics.
She is part of a group of British doctors leading a plea for the public to have plant-based diets to prevent future pandemics.
There is little evidence, however, to suggest that eating less meat directly reduces the occurrence of deadly disease outbreaks.
Dr Newman pointed out that all of the recent major disease outbreaks “have been caused by tampering with animals and their habitats”.
She added: “Our industrial-scale factory farms are like a ticking time bomb – yet I can guarantee that lentils will not spark a viral pandemic anytime soon.
“Many of us are sitting at home wondering what we can do to help this situation.
“Taking some time to reflect on what we eat, limiting the meat we put in our supermarket trolley, and shifting to a more plant-based diet will help us move towards a safer future.”
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Dr Shireen Kassam, founder of non-profit organisation Plant Based Health Professionals UK and a consultant haematologist, added that more than 90 percent of the meat we consume is produced the types of industrial-scale factory farms that provide the perfect conditions for the generation of novel infections with epidemic and pandemic potential.
She said: “In addition, intensive farming of animals necessitates the widespread use of antibiotics, which has contributed to a dramatic rise in the number of antibiotic-resistant infections affecting humans.
“We have now entered an era where it is not uncommon for doctors to find themselves treating patients with bacterial infections for which there are no effective antibiotics.”
