
Event Date
Emerging Pandemic Threats: Are We Ready for the Next Viral Outbreak?
The Role of the United States in Securing Global Health
Ebola. Sars. Influenza. These and other zoonotic diseases—which move from animals to humans—have the power to devastate human life, overwhelm public health systems and drain economies around the world. These viruses know no borders. The DR Congo is currently battling the second largest outbreak of Ebola, with nearly 2,000 confirmed cases and more than 1,300 confirmed deaths since August 2018. The outbreak has just crossed the border into Uganda, and national and international response teams are urgently working to contain the spread of disease. If further international spread ensues, this Ebola outbreak risks becoming another public health emergency that arrives in America. Ebola isn’t the only threat. Here in the United States, influenza A and West Nile virus top a list of eight zoonotic diseases of national concern that already emerged from animals and infect humans on our soil.
Is it possible to derail viruses of epidemic potential before outbreaks occur in humans? The United States is already leading the way in strengthening capacity for the detection of zoonotic diseases in some of the most resource-limited settings in the world. Government programs, such as USAID’s Emerging Pandemic Threats PREDICT project, have advanced our discovery of emerging threats, helped prepare for early detection at their animal sources, and identified next steps to protect global and domestic health and security.
Join us for a briefing on the future of pandemic prevention.
Lunch will be provided. Seating is limited.
Please RSVP to Brooke Genovese at bgenovese@ucdavis.edu
FEATURED SPEAKERS
![]() Christine Kreuder Johnson |
![]() William Karesh |
![]() Suzan Murray |
![]() Jonna Mazet |
PREDICT was initiated in 2009 to strengthen global capacity for detection and discovery of viruses with pandemic potential that can move between animals and people. Active in over 30 countries, PREDICT supports the Global Health Security Agenda and is helping build systems to prevent the next pandemic.