Most modern epidemics have been caused by pathogens that spread from animals to humans. These zoonotic diseases have been predicted to increase with climate change.
Four types of animal-to-human infections are increasing at an “exponential rate” and could kill 12 times more people in 2050 than in 2020, according to a new study.
Researchers found a pattern of more frequent “spillover” epidemics after analysing nearly 60 years of epidemiological data.