The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported five million cases and five thousand deaths from dengue fever in 2023. The majority of these cases, representing 80% of the total, were reported in the Americas, Southeast Asia, and Western Pacific regions.
In these regions, it is believed that this unexpected increase in dengue cases is partly due to climate change, which has led to increased rainfall, humidity, and temperatures, thus creating a favorable environment for the growth of the mosquito that carries dengue fever.
Climate change has played a pivotal role in the spread of dengue fever.
Rising global temperatures and changes in rainfall patterns have expanded the geographic range of the mosquito, the main carrier of dengue fever. This type of mosquito is now found in areas that were not previously affected by dengue fever, leading to increased infection rates.
In addition, the El Niño phenomenon in 2023 exacerbated the effects of climate change and global warming, contributing to the spread of mosquitoes worldwide.
The WHO has warned that climate change is likely to lead to further increases in dengue cases in the coming years. The organization has called for urgent action to address climate change and to reduce the risk of dengue transmission.
