Zoonotic Spillover and Pandemic Preparedness
A webinar panel of leading experts from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) examined the growing threat of diseases that spread from animals to humans and what the world must do to prepare.
UKZN’s College of Health Sciences hosted the high-level webinar which was titled: ‘From Outbreaks to Preparedness: Zoonotic Spillover in the Pandemic Treaty Era’.
Opening the discussion, Professor Sabiha Yusuf Essack, who holds the South African Research Chair in Antimicrobial Resistance and One Health, highlighted that more than 60% of emerging infectious diseases since the 1980s had been zoonotic. Referencing outbreaks ranging from Ebola and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) to COVID-19, she described zoonotic diseases as a “double whammy” – simultaneously threatening public health while destabilising livelihoods, food systems and economies.
Panel members included the Head of Infectious Diseases, Professor Yunus Moosa; the Head of Virology, Dr Nokukhanya Msomi, and the Head of the Biomedical Resource Unit and veterinarian, Dr Nqobile Jaca-Phakathi, who unpacked the biological, clinical and structural drivers that allow pathogens to jump between species and spread rapidly across borders.
From a clinical perspective, Moosa stressed the importance of vigilance among healthcare workers, noting that outbreaks are often recognised only when clinicians detect unusual patterns or a sudden rise in similar cases. He also emphasised the critical role of laboratories and surveillance systems in identifying emerging threats early.
Msomi explained why viruses, in particular, were prone to spillover, citing their ability to mutate and adapt to new hosts, especially as human encroachment into wildlife habitats intensifies. She also emphasised the need for equitable access to diagnostics, vaccines and local manufacturing capacity – lessons reinforced by the global inequities experienced during COVID-19.
Addressing the animal health dimension, Phakathi highlighted vulnerabilities in both commercial and smallholder livestock systems. While intensive farming operations risked rapid disease spread, under-resourced rural systems often suffered from limited surveillance and underreporting, driven by fears of livestock losses without compensation. “Animal health systems are not peripheral to health security – they are central to it,” she said.
A key theme throughout the webinar was the importance of operationalising the One Health approach, which integrates human, animal and environmental health. Panellists discussed practical measures such as strengthening veterinary services, expanding rural and environmental surveillance – including wastewater monitoring – and embedding One Health training into agricultural extension services.
The discussion was framed against the backdrop of the 2025 Pandemic Agreement adopted by the World Health Organization’s member states, which calls for legally grounded global cooperation in prevention, preparedness and response. Participants agreed that while the framework provided a roadmap, its success depended on implementation at national and community levels.
In closing, Essack reminded participants that preparedness is no longer optional. “Zoonotic spillovers are not isolated events,” she said. “They reflect deeper ecological, agricultural and societal changes. Investing in preparedness is an investment in global stability, food security and health equity.”
Words: MaryAnn Francis
Photographs: Supplied
