Health officials say it's only a matter of time before the next flu pandemic strikes. And they're looking to have a plan in place when it does.
On Monday, the World Health Organization released a Global Influenza Strategy aimed at protecting people around the world from the threat of influenza.
The strategy has two main goals. One is to build stronger country capacities for disease surveillance and response, prevention and control, and preparedness. The other is to develop better tools to prevent, detect, control and treat influenza.
WHO's director-general said in a statement: "The question is not if we will have another pandemic, but when. We must be vigilant and prepared — the cost of a major influenza outbreak will far outweigh the price of prevention."
The last flu pandemic took place in 2009 and 2010, when the H1N1 virus quickly spread around the world. Thousands of people died.
