The European Union’s health agency issued a warning on Tuesday, stating that cases of dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases are increasing significantly in Europe due to climate change.
Dengue, Mosquito-Borne Diseases Rising In Europe Due To Climate Change
This represents a significant increase from the period between 2010 and 2021, where the total number of cases was 73. Imported cases of these diseases are also on the rise, with 4,900 cases reported in 2023, the highest number since EU monitoring began in 2008
The director of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), Andrea Ammon, highlighted the connection between higher temperatures in summer, milder winters, and the spread of mosquitos into previously unaffected areas.
The ECDC also reported an increase in locally acquired cases of West Nile virus, with 713 cases reported in 2023 across nine EU countries, resulting in 67 deaths.
The Aedes albopictus mosquito, known for transmitting dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses, is spreading further across Europe, with self-sustaining populations now present in 13 EU countries. Additionally, the Aedes aegypti species, responsible for spreading yellow fever, dengue, chikungunya, and Zika, has recently established itself in Cyprus and other outermost EU regions.
