New diseases are emerging at the rate of one per year, faster than at any time in living memory

There are now more than 40 diseases which were unknown a generation ago

During the past five years, over 1100 epidemic events have been reported to the WHO

Of 635 health events of potential international public concern recorded by WHO, nearly half (288) occurred in Africa

In 2006, the dumping of 500 tons of petrochemical waste around Abidjan, Ivory Coast, led to the deaths of 8 people and over 90,000 seeking medical help.

In July 1994, in the wake of the civil war in Rwanda, over half a million people crossed the border and gathered on the outskirts of the Congolese town of Goma. An estimated 50,000 refugees died within a month mainly from cholera and shigella dysentery.

Based on experience with past epidemics, it is estimated that illnesses affecting1.5 billion people could be anticipated and mitigated with appropriate action by governments.

In 2006, an estimated 135 million people were affected by natural disasters worldwide and over 21,000 were killed.
 

Airlines carry over 2 billion passengers a year (2.1 billion in 2006)