A Deadly Virus We May Still Need
Have you ever seen a person with smallpox? We rejoice that probably you haven’t. In 1977 the disease was eradicated. Only two known research collections of smallpox virus remain, in laboratories in Russia and the United States.
This month, the World Health Organization is debating whether to set a date for destroying these remaining research samples. Elimination of the virus collections is a bad idea.
Smallpox, the most infamous infectious disease in history, killed 300 million to 500 million people in the 20th century alone — more than three times the number killed by wars. Its eradication was the culmination of an 11-year global campaign that stands as a milestone in cooperative international action.… Seguir leyendo »