[ad_1]
More than half of the world’s population could be at risk of catching diseases transmitted by mosquitoes such as malaria and dengue by the end of the century, scientists have warned.
Mosquito-borne outbreaks, driven by global warming, will spread to parts of northern Europe and other regions of the world over the next few decades, the experts said.
In the UK, figures released by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) show imported malaria cases last year topped 2,000 for the first time in over 20 years.
It said there were 2,004 cases of malaria confirmed in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland in 2023 following travel abroad, compared to 1,369 in 2022.
The rise, according to the UKHSA, is linked to the resurgence of malaria in many countries and an increase in overseas travel following pandemic restrictions being removed.
Meanwhile globally, the number of dengue cases reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO) has increased ten-fold in the last two decades, from 500,000 in 2000 to over five million in 2019.
Mosquitoes that carry dengue have invaded 13 European countries since 2000, with local spread of the disease seen in France, Italy, and Spain in 2023.
Rachel Lowe, a professor at the Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies in Spain, said: “Global warming due to climate change means that the disease vectors that carry and spread malaria and dengue can find a home in more regions, with outbreaks occurring in areas where people are likely to be immunologically naive and public health systems unprepared.
[ad_2]
