Stockholm (AFP) – Dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases are climbing significantly in Europe. This growing health menace has been reported in countries that never previously had the diseases. According to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Rise Climate change as a catalyst
On Tuesday, the European Union health agency stated that climate change contributed to the rise in these diseases. In an area that has become warmer due to climate change, invasive mosquitoes can breed more easily. These mosquitoes transmit dengue, Zika, and chikungunya, among other infections.
Rise Statement from health authorities
As the European Place for Sickness Anticipation. Control chief Andrea Ammon indicated. Environmental change made it simpler for intrusive mosquitoes to spread into new regions. “Climate change is providing these mosquitoes with more suitable habitats. Leading to an increased risk of diseases such as dengue affecting more people,” Ammon states. She said that ECDC is aware of this growing threat and is working to deal with it.
Impact on public health
Diseases spread by mosquitoes represent a significant threat to public health. Dengue fever can cause serious sickness with extreme death, organ harm, and even passing on the off chance that not treated as expected. Healthcare systems, already overburdened by other emergencies, are under even more strain from the rising number of cases.
Measures being taken
To counteract this growing danger, various strategies have been put in place by ECDC together with other European health organizations aimed at curbing mosquito-borne illnesses such as:
Public awareness campaigns: Educating people about how they can protect themselves against mosquito bites as well as reduce breeding sites for mosquitos around their homes;
Enhanced monitoring: Increasing surveillance activities targeting both adult mosquito populations as well larvae stages found within different water bodies across affected regions;
Research & development: Investing more funds towards finding better methods of controlling mosquito populations while also preventing transmission of diseases from one person to another;
International cooperation: Collaborating closely with global health bodies like WHO to share information and resources needed for effective response against these diseases.