Climate Change Fuels Rise in Mosquito-Borne Diseases in Europe, Warns EU Health Agency
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has issued a stark warning about the rising cases of mosquito-borne diseases in Europe, attributing the surge to climate change. The region comprising the European Union (EU) plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway (EEA) has witnessed a significant increase in the number of locally acquired cases of dengue and other mosquito-borne illnesses. In 2023 alone, 130 locally acquired cases of dengue were reported, compared to 71 in the previous year. This represents a notable uptick from the 2010-2021 period, during which the total number of cases reported was 73, according to the Stockholm-based ECDC. Additionally, the number of imported cases has been on the rise, with 1,572 cases reported in 2022 and a staggering 4,900 in 2023,