Bill Gates is drawing attention online after a past interview about the “next pandemic” resurfaced – just as a hantavirus outbreak linked to a cruise ship has left three people dead.
The renewed interest comes after the World Health Organization confirmed five cases connected to the cruise ship that departed from Argentina around a month ago. Three passengers have died during the ship’s voyage, and more than 150 people were left stranded off the coast of Cape Verde. The vessel has since been cleared to dock in the Canary Islands.
Health officials say the situation is being closely monitored, though the WHO stressed that the outbreak is expected to remain limited. Contact tracing efforts are now underway in several countries after some passengers left the ship before the virus was detected.
Authorities in Argentina suspect the virus may have originated from a birdwatching trip to a landfill site in Ushuaia.
Bill Gates’ prediction for the “next pandemic”
At the same time, an interview Bill Gates gave on The View last year has started circulating again online, according to UNILAD. During the appearance, he warned that the world still isn’t fully prepared for another major global health crisis – and suggested the next one could be even worse than Covid.
“We should be more prepared, it’s up to the government to think ahead on behalf of the citizens,” Gates reportedly said.
“So with a pandemic, there’s a lot you should be doing, but hopefully we’ll get our act together before the next one comes.”
“Most people will never be exposed to this”
With some worrying this virus could mirror the early stages of Covid-19 – WHO epidemiologist Maria Van Kerkhove attempted to reassure the public during a recent press conference.
“This is not the next Covid, but it is a serious infectious disease. If people get infected, and infections are uncommon, they can die. People on the ship who are hearing this are very scared, rightly so,” she said, according to ABC News.
“The general public might be scared as well. Accurate information is critical. Knowing what your actual exposure might be – most people will never be exposed to this.”
