One Health and Averting the Next Pandemic: Concept, Origin, Evolution, and Challenges

More than 70 percent of emerging human diseases are zoonotic (originate in animals). As of September 1, 2021, the ongoing pandemic (a global outbreak of a disease) caused by the novel coronavirus has infected more than 219 million people worldwide and caused more than 4.5 million deaths globally. The novel coronavirus pandemic may likely have its origin in animals before it was spilled over to the humans. As a public health professional and someone who has studied virus infections for a decade, my Infectious Disease Epidemiology course at the Texas A&M University School of Public Health had a focus on zoonotic diseases and the interconnections between animals, humans, and the environment. This article provides an overview of the recent zoonotic outbreaks, the concept of One Health, it's origins and evolution, and strides and challenges.