WHO calls on countries to prepare for next pandemic that 'could be even worse' than COVID-19

The head of the World Health Organization urged countries across the globe to prepare for the next pandemic, warning that future health emergencies could be even worse than the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The threat of another variant emerging that causes new surges of disease and death remains, and the threat of another pathogen emerging with even deadlier potential remains," WHO director-general Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

More than 6.9 million people globally have died of COVID, according to a WHO tally. Tedros noted that the COVID pandemic showed "basically everyone on the planet" needs to be better protected.

He called on the world to be ready to give a collective response to this threat in the future.