The spread of bird flu in the United States, mpox outbreaks in African countries and respiratory infections in China have all raised questions over the strength of global health systems.
In 2022, a panel set up by the World Health Organisation (WHO) found that the world is no better prepared for a new pandemic than it was when coronavirus emerged in 2019 - and may actually be in a worse place, given the economic toll.
So what lessons were learnt from COVID-19 and what are the worst-hit countries doing to guard against any re-run? The impact of COVID-19
The International Monetary Fund estimates that COVID-19 cost the global economy nearly $14 trillion, with losses made worse by a lack of preparedness.
From shattered economies to overwhelmed healthcare systems, the impacts of the pandemic continue to be felt.
The WHO estimates that nearly 15 million deaths were associated with COVID. About 400 million people have had long COVID, costing countries billions in lost productivity and increased health and social welfare costs.
According to the International Labour Organization, 114 million jobs were lost in 2020, the year a global pandemic was declared. The ILO estimates that $3.7 trillion was lost in labour income.
