The World Health Organization (WHO) issued a warning on Friday, expressing concerns that cases of dengue fever could reach near-record highs this year, partly due to the impact of global warming, which benefits the mosquitoes responsible for its spread.
According to WHO, dengue rates have been rising globally, with reported cases increasing eight-fold since 2000, reaching 4.2 million cases in 2022.
The disease has even been detected in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, for the first time on record, as reported by the health ministry in March. Europe has also seen a surge in cases, and Peru declared a state of emergency in most regions.
In January, WHO warned that dengue represents a “pandemic threat” and is the world’s fastest-spreading tropical disease.
Dr. Raman Velayudhan, a specialist at the WHO’s control of neglected tropical diseases department, stated that approximately half of the world’s population is now at risk.
Reported cases to WHO reached an all-time high in 2019, with 5.2 million cases in 129 countries. This year, the world is projected to have “4 million plus” cases, depending largely on the Asian monsoon season.
So far, close to 3 million cases have been reported in the Americas, raising concerns about its southern spread to countries like Bolivia, Paraguay, and Peru.
In response to dengue outbreaks, Argentina is using radiation to sterilize mosquitoes, altering their DNA before releasing them into the wild.
The disease, characterized by fever and muscle pain, is often asymptomatic, with reported cases representing only a fraction of the actual global infections. It is fatal in less than 1% of people.
The increasing temperature from global warming is believed to accelerate mosquito breeding and enhance the virus’s replication within their bodies. Other factors contributing to the rise in cases include increased movement of goods and people, urbanization, and associated sanitation issues.
While it’s uncertain how the ongoing heatwave in the northern hemisphere will affect the disease’s spread, temperatures over 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) might not necessarily prevent mosquito breeding in water storage containers. The WHO urges continued vigilance in combating the disease’s spread amid these challenges.
