The ex-boss of Microsoft Bill Gates has warned the world could be in danger from bio-terrorism. He said a virus made by terrorists could kill 30 million people in less than a year. Mr Gates, the richest person in the world, was speaking at a security conference in Germany. He said there was a "reasonable" chance of a bio-terrorist attack in the next 10 to 15 years. He was surprised that very few leaders are aware of this. He wants leaders to be more prepared. He asked for global "health security" to become a major part of government discussions and policies.
Gates said the next epidemic could start on a computer screen. He said a genetically engineered virus was easier to make and could kill more people than nuclear bombs. He asked governments, "to prepare for these epidemics in the same way we prepare for war". He said there should be "germ games", just like many countries engage in war games to prepare for war. He also said we needed better monitoring to spot outbreaks early, and the development of vaccines within weeks rather than years. He also said we needed anti-viral drugs, antibodies, vaccines and new diagnostics.