2023-06-22 21:00:00
In the course of climate change, mosquitoes and the pathogens they transmit are spreading more and more in Europe.
Established in Cyprus
The EU health authority ECDC warns of an increasing risk of mosquito-borne diseases due to the changing climatic conditions. The Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus), a known vector of chikungunya and dengue viruses, among others, is spreading further north and west in Europe, the agency said. The yellow fever mosquito (Aedes aegypti) has therefore established itself in Cyprus since last year and could also spread to other European countries. It transmits dengue, yellow fever and Zika viruses, among others.
consequences of climate change
The reason for the growing danger is climate change. Europe is getting warmer, heat waves and floods are becoming more frequent and severe, summers are longer and warmer, ECDC wrote. This creates more favorable conditions for invasive mosquito species such as Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti. Ten years ago, the Asian tiger mosquito was detected in 8 countries in the European Economic Area (EEA), now there are 13. The number of regions affected has almost tripled over the period.
Take personal protective measures
In recent years, a geographical spread of invasive mosquito species to previously unaffected areas in the EU and EEA has been observed, said German ECDC Director Andrea Ammon. “If this continues, we can expect more cases and possible deaths from diseases such as dengue, chikungunya and West Nile fever.” The focus must be on controlling mosquito populations, improving surveillance and personal protection measures enforce.
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