We must act now to prevent a lethal global disease outbreak

The influenza pandemic of 1918 killed 50m people. It would spread much more rapidly today, and recent outbreaks of ebola and yellow fever are a warning to us all, say Gro Harlem Brundtland and Elhadj As Sy.

Imagine the following scenario. In a matter of days, a lethal influenza pandemic spreads around the world, halting trade and travel, triggering social chaos, gutting the global economy, and endangering tens of millions of lives. Such a large-scale disease outbreak is an alarming – but entirely realistic – prospect. To mitigate the risks, the world must take steps now to prepare.