WHO conducts simulation for lethal 'mammothpox' outbreak – Telegraph
Earlier this month, the World Health Organization engaged in a simulation exercise that portrayed an outbreak of a fictional virus, referred to as "mammothpox," originating from an ancient woolly mammoth. According to The Telegraph, which obtained...
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Earlier this month, the World Health Organization engaged in a simulation exercise that portrayed an outbreak of a fictional virus, referred to as "mammothpox," originating from an ancient woolly mammoth. According to The Telegraph, which obtained related documents, this exercise aimed to assess global preparedness for a new pandemic.
In a press release, the WHO noted that more than 15 countries participated in Exercise Polaris, which was designed to test readiness for a pandemic by modeling the global spread of the fictional virus. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus commented on the unpredictability of pandemics, stating that a new outbreak “could happen in 20 years or more, or it could happen tomorrow,” emphasizing its status as an “epidemiological certainty.”
The fictional virus in the simulation was similar to smallpox—a disease that had a 30% mortality rate and was eradicated in 1980—and to mpox, a dangerous variant currently affecting parts of central Africa. Within the simulation, a team of scientists and filmmakers who unearthed a woolly mammoth in the Arctic inadvertently released the virus. This led to hospitals worldwide being “overwhelmed” as health systems struggled to manage the crisis.
Although participants in the exercise managed to contain the spread of the fictional virus, the WHO recognized that a real outbreak would be far more challenging. A briefing document from the agency indicated that “ancient viruses can remain viable in permafrost for thousands of years,” noting the risk posed by thawing permafrost due to climate change, which may unleash “pathogens previously unknown to modern medicine.”
The Telegraph further reported that, in response to warming climates, scientists and ivory hunters have been excavating for ancient remains in the Arctic, including those of woolly mammoths, often without sufficient health measures in place. Additionally, researchers are investigating ancient samples, with efforts underway to resurrect “zombie viruses” found alongside frozen animal remains, which could be dangerous for humans. A particularly notable instance involved French scientist Jean-Michel Claverie, who revived a virus dating back 48,500 years in 2023, as determined through radiocarbon dating.
James del Carmen for TROIB News
In a press release, the WHO noted that more than 15 countries participated in Exercise Polaris, which was designed to test readiness for a pandemic by modeling the global spread of the fictional virus. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus commented on the unpredictability of pandemics, stating that a new outbreak “could happen in 20 years or more, or it could happen tomorrow,” emphasizing its status as an “epidemiological certainty.”
The fictional virus in the simulation was similar to smallpox—a disease that had a 30% mortality rate and was eradicated in 1980—and to mpox, a dangerous variant currently affecting parts of central Africa. Within the simulation, a team of scientists and filmmakers who unearthed a woolly mammoth in the Arctic inadvertently released the virus. This led to hospitals worldwide being “overwhelmed” as health systems struggled to manage the crisis.
Although participants in the exercise managed to contain the spread of the fictional virus, the WHO recognized that a real outbreak would be far more challenging. A briefing document from the agency indicated that “ancient viruses can remain viable in permafrost for thousands of years,” noting the risk posed by thawing permafrost due to climate change, which may unleash “pathogens previously unknown to modern medicine.”
The Telegraph further reported that, in response to warming climates, scientists and ivory hunters have been excavating for ancient remains in the Arctic, including those of woolly mammoths, often without sufficient health measures in place. Additionally, researchers are investigating ancient samples, with efforts underway to resurrect “zombie viruses” found alongside frozen animal remains, which could be dangerous for humans. A particularly notable instance involved French scientist Jean-Michel Claverie, who revived a virus dating back 48,500 years in 2023, as determined through radiocarbon dating.
James del Carmen for TROIB News
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