Biological terrorism could kill hundreds of millions of people as genetic engineering unleashes terrifying new weapons, warns Bill Gates
- He said governments aren't doing enough to prepare for bioterrorism
- Gates warned a devastating pandemic could happen within the next 15 years
- Hundreds of millions of people could be killed if biological weapons are used
Bill Gates made the strong warning at the Munich Security Conference today
Governments overlooking the threat of biological weapons which could one day kill hundreds of millions, Bill Gates has warned.
The richest man in the world has said that biological warfare is not being taken seriously enough.
He warned world leaders in Munich today that a pandemic could wipe out millions of people, and said there is a 'reasonable probability' of this happening in the next 10 to 15 years.
Speaking to The Telegraph ahead of his speech at the Munich Security Conference, Gates said bioterrorism could wipe out far more people than nuclear weapons.
He stated: 'With nuclear weapons, you’d think you would probably stop after killing 100million.
'Smallpox won’t stop. Because the population is naïve, and there are no real preparations. That, if it got out and spread, would be a larger number.'
Bill Gates at the conference alongside German defence minister Ursula von der Leyen today
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He believes breakthroughs in genetic engineering will make it easier for terrorists to plot attacks on a massive scale, but claimed security services 'haven't been following biology'.
He told the audience at the conference, The Guardian reports: 'Whether it occurs by a quirk of nature or at the hand of a terrorist, epidemiologists say a fast-moving airborne pathogen could kill more than 30 million people in less than a year.
'And they say there is a reasonable probability the world will experience such an outbreak in the next 10 to 15 years.'
The multi-billionaire added that the most effective way of preparing for a natural pandemic is to get ready for an act of bioterrorism.
He said: 'Getting ready for a global pandemic is every bit as important as nuclear deterrence and avoiding a climate catastrophe. Innovation, cooperation and careful planning can dramatically mitigate the risks presented by each of these threats.'
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