Europe is witnessing a notable surge in cases of dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases, fueled by climate change-induced warmer temperatures facilitating the spread of invasive mosquito species, cautioned the European Union’s health agency on Tuesday.
In 2023, the region encompassing the European Union (EU) along with Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway (EEA) reported 130 locally acquired cases of dengue, marking a significant rise from the 71 cases documented in 2022. This surge represents a stark contrast to the period between 2010 and 2021, where only 73 cases were recorded throughout the entirety of those years, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), headquartered in Stockholm.
Imported cases of mosquito-borne diseases also showed an alarming uptick, escalating from 1,572 cases in 2022 to 4,900 cases in 2023, the highest figure recorded since EU monitoring commenced in 2008.
Andrea Ammon, director of the ECDC, emphasized the evident link between rising temperatures during summers, milder winters, and the expanding territories of invasive mosquito species, which are now infiltrating previously unaffected regions, thereby heightening the risk of disease transmission.
In 2023, West Nile virus, transmitted by the native European mosquito species Culex pipiens, caused 713 locally acquired cases across 123 different regions in nine EU countries, resulting in 67 fatalities. Although the number of cases decreased from 1,133 in 2022, the spread of affected regions was the most extensive since 2018.
The Aedes albopictus mosquito, known for transmitting dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses, is extending its range northward, eastward, and westward across Europe, now establishing self-sustaining populations in 13 EU/EEA countries, as per the ECDC.
Furthermore, the Aedes aegypti species, responsible for transmitting yellow fever, dengue, chikungunya, and Zika, has recently established colonies in Cyprus and various outermost EU regions, including Madeira and the French Caribbean islands.
The ECDC underscored the imperative of implementing coordinated measures such as insecticidal nets, indoor residual spraying, and basic preventative actions like eliminating stagnant water from outdoor areas to mitigate the risk of mosquito-borne illnesses.
