As global temperatures continue to rise, the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a warning: Dengue fever, a tropical disease, is on the brink of becoming endemic in parts of US, Europe, and Africa over the next decade.
Dengue fever, a mosquito-borne illness, has long plagued Southeast Asia and Latin America, causing approximately 20,000 deaths annually. However, recent years have seen an eightfold increase in cases since 2000, with climate change expanding the habitat of dengue-carrying mosquitoes and sprawling cities providing ample opportunities for these insects to thrive.
Bangladesh is currently grappling with its worst-ever dengue outbreak, with over 208,000 cases and 1,000 deaths recorded since January. In Europe, the number of locally acquired dengue cases surged last year, surpassing the total for the entire previous decade. Isolated cases have also been reported in parts of the US, including Florida and Texas.
One of the major concerns voiced by WHO is the potential strain on hospitals, particularly in poorer countries, should dengue cases surge.
"The clinical care is really intensive. It requires a high ratio of nurses to patients," warns WHO Chief Scientist Jeremy Farrar, expressing particular concern for sub-Saharan Africa where resources are often limited.
The underlying cause of this alarming spread of dengue may be rooted in the relentless rise in global temperatures. Since the 1970s, temperatures have been steadily increasing, with the Earth's surface now approximately 0.86 degrees Celsius warmer than the 20th-century average. This trend, exemplified by the 10-warmest years on record all occurring since 2010, is a clear indication of the ongoing challenges posed by climate change.