One of many reasons for its creation was to protect the gorillas from deadly Ebola epidemics that have wiped out other great ape populations in Central Africa.

The burden of Marburg and other rare diseases is small, says Cathy Roth of the WHO, but their destructive potential drags resources from the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

West Nile virus, which is carried by mosquitoes and infects mainly birds, but which can be deadly to humans, and African swine fever, are two diseases that could hit the UK in the coming year.