The next deadly pandemic could begin with the death of one baby in Africa — and spiral into a global disaster. Experts warn it might kill over seven million Americans and twenty times more people worldwide.
Renowned epidemiologist Dr. Michael Osterholm calls this threat “The Big One.” He believes it’s not a matter of if but when. “The Big One is not optional,” he warns. Known for helping contain Ebola in 2014, Osterholm says the next outbreak could spread faster and hit harder than anything humanity has faced before.
In his book The Big One, he describes a nightmare scenario where a new virus jumps from animals — possibly camels, bats, or pigs — to humans. What begins as a mild illness in a remote African village quickly spreads through refugee camps and busy airports, reaching every continent within weeks. “You can stop bad habits,” he says, “but you can’t stop breathing — and that’s what makes this terrifying.”
Osterholm insists the world remains dangerously unprepared. He urges governments to invest in pandemic defense just as they do in national security. “Pandemics have killed more people than all the wars in history,” he reminds readers.
His message is clear: vigilance, science, and preparation are humanity’s only shields. The question isn’t whether the next great pandemic will come — it’s whether we’ll be ready when it does.
