LONDON, June 11 (Xinhua) -- Respiratory infections with pandemic potential remain the greatest threat to UK health security, while emerging infections and antimicrobial resistance continue to pose significant challenges over the next five years, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said on Thursday.
The agency issued the warning as it published its first Health Security Risk Assessment, which evaluates the most significant health security risks facing the country.
According to the UKHSA, the report assesses the potential impact of a wide range of threats on healthcare services, the economy and wider society, and outlines response and mitigation measures.
The report, which covers seven categories of health hazards, said emerging infections pose a persistent and, in some cases, increasing threat, while antimicrobial resistance is a key factor in determining the impact of several health risks.
Under one "reasonable worst-case scenario," a new strain of influenza could spread across the UK in multiple waves, causing symptomatic infections in more than half of the population and placing substantial pressure on the healthcare system, the report said.
The report also highlights environmental hazards, including extreme heat and extreme cold, which could cause significant health and socio-economic disruption.
Under another scenario, a series of warmer-than-expected summers in Europe could allow "Aedes albopictus," commonly known as the Asian tiger mosquito, to become established in London and ports along the UK's southern coast. This could result in the first locally acquired cases of dengue in the UK, according to the report.
The UKHSA stressed that the scenarios are not predictions of the most likely outcomes. Instead, they represent plausible worst-case manifestations of particular risks and are intended to strengthen preparedness and resilience planning.
Steven Riley, chief data officer at the UKHSA, said increasingly complex health security threats disproportionately affect more vulnerable groups in the society. "It is vital we continue to enhance our preparedness measures and resilience planning," Riley said.
