The World Health Organization has updated the list of the most dangerous viruses and bacteria that can potentially cause the next pandemic. There are more than 30 of them, including influenza type A, dengue fever and monkey pox viruses.

200 scientists have been working on the new list for about two years. They analyzed more than 1,600 types of pathogens, mainly viruses and bacteria. Among the priorities is a group of coronaviruses known as sarbecoviruses, which includes SARS-CoV-2, which caused the global COVID-19 pandemic.

The list also includes merbecoviruses, which include the MERS-CoV virus, which causes Middle East respiratory syndrome. Other pathogens include the monkey pox virus, which caused a global smallpox outbreak in 2022 and continues to spread in Central Africa.

There were also six influenzas A virus on the list, including the H5 subtype that caused the outbreak among cattle in the United States. Among the priority pathogens were bacteria that cause cholera, plague, dysentery, diarrhea and pneumonia. Two rodent viruses have been added to the list, which have spread to humans. It also contains the Nina virus, which is carried by bats and is deadly. Many of the priority pathogens are now circulating in selected regions, but they have the potential for global spread.

In the list of priority pathogens, the researchers also created a separate list of prototype pathogens that can be used as a model for research and development of vaccines and treatments.