Experts have expressed concern that deadly smallpox could once again become a cause of a future global pandemic.
The fast-spreading virus, known in medical science as Variola, was officially eradicated worldwide in 1980 following a global vaccination campaign led by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Today, the virus exists only in the form of highly controlled samples stored in a very limited number of high-security laboratories.
However, scientists are now warning that the eradication of smallpox has led to a decline in human immunity against other related pox viruses.
Viruses belonging to the Orthopoxvirus family could potentially take the place of smallpox and spark a new global outbreak. These include monkeypox, as well as lesser-known viruses such as cowpox, buffalopox, and camelpox.
It is worth noting that during the 20th century alone, smallpox was responsible for the deaths of nearly 500 million people worldwide.
