Caption: A boy covers his face from smoke as a health worker fumigates against mosquitoes in a residential area, as Sri Lanka tries to curb dengue fever across the island in Colombo, Sri Lanka, July 12, 2023. (REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte/File Photo)
GENEVA (Reuters) - The World Health Organization issued a warning on Friday, stating that cases of dengue fever could reach almost record highs this year, largely due to the impact of global warming, which favors the proliferation of mosquitoes that spread the disease.
Dengue infection rates have been steadily increasing worldwide, with reported cases rising eight-fold since 2000, reaching 4.2 million in 2022, as reported by the WHO.
According to a health ministry report in March, dengue fever was detected for the first time on record in Sudan's capital, Khartoum. Meanwhile, Europe has reported a significant increase in dengue cases, and Peru has declared a state of emergency in most regions.
In January, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a warning stating that dengue is the world's fastest-spreading tropical disease and poses a "pandemic threat."
Dr. Raman Velayudhan, a specialist at the WHO's control of neglected tropical diseases department, informed journalists in Geneva on Friday that approximately half of the world's population is now at risk of dengue.
According to Dr. Raman Velayudhan, via a video link, reported cases of dengue fever reached an all-time high in 2019 with 5.2 million cases in 129 countries. This year, the world is on track for "4 million plus" cases, largely depending on the Asian monsoon season.
The Americas have already reported close to 3 million cases, with concern over the southern spread to countries such as Bolivia, Paraguay, and Peru.
Argentina, facing one of its worst outbreaks of dengue in recent years, is taking measures to control the mosquito population by sterilizing mosquitoes through radiation that alters their DNA before releasing them into the wild.
The World Health Organization (WHO) states that reported cases of dengue represent only a fraction of the actual number of global infections, as most cases are asymptomatic. The disease is fatal in less than 1% of people.
A warmer climate is believed to facilitate the rapid multiplication of mosquitoes and the virus within their bodies. Velayudhan pointed out that increased movement of goods and people, urbanization, and sanitation issues are other contributing factors to the rise in cases.
Regarding the impact of the northern hemisphere's heatwave on the spread of the disease, Velayudhan said it was too early to determine. Although temperatures exceeding 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) might theoretically kill the mosquito, it is a clever insect that can breed in water storage containers where temperatures don't rise that high.
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