EU warns of increased mosquito-borne viral diseases due to climate change

A European Union (EU) agency warned Thursday that Europe is facing an increased risk of mosquito-borne viral diseases due to climate change.

The European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC) said that more frequent and severe heat waves and flooding, as well as longer and hotter summers, have created more favorable conditions for invasive mosquito species, such as Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti.

The Aedes albopictus species, which can transmit chikungunya and dengue, has spread to five additional European countries in the last 10 years, according to the ECDC. 

The Aedes aegypti species, which can transmit yellow fever, zika and West Nile viruses in addition to chikungunya and dengue, became established in Cyprus last year, leading to concerns about its potential spread to other European countries, the agency also noted.

“In recent years we have seen a geographical spread of invasive mosquito species to previously unaffected areas in [Europe],” ECDC Director Andrea Ammon said in a statement. “If this continues, we can expect to see more cases and possibly deaths from diseases such as dengue, chikungunya and West Nile fever.”

Europe recorded 71 cases of locally acquired dengue last year alone, the same number of cases recorded over the previous 11 years combined. The region also saw 1,133 cases of West Nile virus in 2022, the vast majority of which were locally acquired.