STILL surging around the world, with a rising death toll, coronavirus has turned every facet of life as we know it on its head. But a new warning has been issued that this pandemic may not be "the big one”.

But it's been so devastating?

Now detected in 188 countries so far, there have been around 82 million cases recorded and nearly 1.8 million deaths, with the virus still surging, even in areas that had initial success in suppressing outbreaks.

But it’s not the “big one”?

During the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) final virtual media briefing of the year, WHO emergencies chief, Mark Ryan, said: “This pandemic has been very severe. It has affected every corner of this planet. But this is not necessarily the big one.”

So the threat goes on?

Ryan added that it should serve as a “wake-up call…These threats will continue. One thing we need to take from this pandemic, with all of the tragedy and loss, is we need to get our act together.”

The UN are on the same page?

On Sunday, the United Nations commemorated the first International Day of Epidemic Preparedness to underscore the need to "learn lessons from the coronavirus pandemic" and urge "greater investments in preparedness to confront future health emergencies”. Secretary General Antonio Guterres said: “As we strive to control and recover from the current pandemic, we must think about the next.  Unfortunately, it is easy to imagine a virus just as infectious but even more lethal.”

The link between animals and humans?

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the UN World Health Organization, said 75 per cent of new and emerging human infectious diseases are zoonotic, caused by germs that spread between animals and people. He added: “Any efforts to improve human health are doomed unless they address the critical interface between human and animals.”

What is being done?

The experts are calling for countries to work together “to pay greater attention to the encroachment of people and livestock into animal habitats”. The UN also wants a "One Health Approach" adopted, integrating human health, animal health, plant health and environmental factors, calling on countries to invest in preparedness to "prevent, detect and mitigate emergencies", as well as boosting healthcare systems and health coverage in countries wehre it is required.

Will all countries get on board, though?

A team of international scientists are to travel to Wuhan in China this month to investigate the origins of Covid-19 - the virus is said to have emanated from a market in Wuhan where animals were sold. The WHO said they are not looking for "a guilty country", but rather to "understand what happened" and reduce future risk, but Beijing has been reluctant to take part in an independent inquiry and even allowing access to the team took months of negotiations. 

So China is not be on the same page?

A bat research team visiting a mineshaft in southern China - that was once home to bats with the closest known relative of the Covid-19 virus - managed to take samples, but it was reported that these samples were confiscated, while specialists in coronaviruses were ordered not to speak to the press and a team of Associated Press journalists were tailed by plainclothes Chinese police who blocked access to locations of interest.

But the UN keep calling for cooperation?

Mr Guterres called for countries to work together to plan ahead, saying: “No one is safe unless all of us are safe. As we recover from the pandemic, let us resolve to build up our prevention capacities so that we are ready when the world faces the next outbreak.”