In light of the recent H7N9 bird flu virus in China and the spread of the novel coronavirus in the Middle East and Europe, Delia Grace, a veterinary epidemiologist and food safety specialist at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), in Nairobi, Kenya is available to brief media on the drivers of these diseases: urbanization, agricultural intensification, globalization, and loss of habitat and biodiversity.

A recent paper in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) authored by Grace and other scientists pinpoint the complex and interrelated drivers of animal-to-human disease outbreaks and their spread.

Delia Grace BioDelia is a veterinary epidemiologist and leads a program of research at the interface of agriculture and human health in developing countries. Her current research involves mapping diseases, studying the drivers of disease emergence, developing and managing risk-based approaches to food-borne diseases and zoonoses (animal diseases that can be transmitted to humans). Before joining ILRI, Delia worked for seven years in community-based animal health programs in Asia, East Africa and West Africa. She has written numerous papers, and developed several guides, manuals and tools for disease assessment and management. She has also developed and implemented training courses in participatory risk assessment and risk analysis for food safety.