How climate change is amplifying mosquito-borne diseases
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Mosquito-borne diseases kill more than one million people and infect up to 700 million each year – almost one in ten people. As the planet warms and climate change lengthens the mosquito season, the world’s deadliest creature will expand its geographical range to new regions and re-emerge in areas where mosquito numbers had subsided for decades.
Extreme climate and weather patterns such as droughts, heat waves, floods, and rainfall are increasing in severity and regularity across the globe. These provide favourable conditions for mosquitoes to breed and could help spread their viruses to higher latitudes and altitudes.
Climate change also increases mosquito-borne disease risk in less obvious ways, says Dr Katie Anders, an epidemiologist and director of impact assessment at the World Mosquito Program (WMP).
‘For example, when households store water in response to drought, this can increase local mosquito breeding sites and disease risk. Land use changes can also drive migration to c...
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