Do Higher Temperatures Mean More Dengue Fever? Patricia Grogg - Inter Press Service
go to original August 24, 2013

Climate Change May Lead to a Greater Spread of Infectious Diseases (GeoBeats News)

HAVANA - The spread of the virus that causes dengue fever has created an emergency situation for institutions, governments and scientists in Latin America seeking sustainable solutions for a health problem that could worsen as a result of climate change.

World Health Organisation (WHO) statistics indicate that in the first seven months of 2013 there were nearly 1.4 million reported cases in the region, making this an epidemic year.

“In 2012 there were a total of 1.7 million cases, and we do not know yet if the figure will be higher in 2013,” said Luis Castellanos at the 13th International Course on Dengue Control, being held in the Cuban capital Aug. 12-23.

Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne viral infection that causes flu-like illness and other symptoms, and occasionally develops into the more serious dengue haemorrhagic fever, which can be fatal, WHO says.

... WHO recommends raising awareness on climate change as a fundamental threat to human health; ensuring that health is properly represented in the climate change agenda; and assisting countries to build capacity to reduce health vulnerability to climate change.

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