Fact Check: Measles outbreaks not linked to ‘Disease X’ pandemic planning

Outbreaks of measles virus in the UK and U.S. are not related to hypothetical “Disease X” - a placeholder term for an unknown future pandemic-causing pathogen - as suggested by misleading social media posts.

While measles is highly contagious among people who are not vaccinated - such as groups linked to recent outbreaks – it is also highly preventable with the existing vaccine and therefore has little pandemic potential, experts told Reuters.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) declared a national health incident on Jan. 19, 2024, after more than...