Dengue is spreading at unprecedented numbers since the disease was first recorded over four decades ago. Experts warn that rising temperatures and rapid urbanization are accelerating the pace of infections.
A record of over 4 million cases have been reported in the Americas and the Caribbean so far this year, surpassing a previous record set in 2019, with authorities from the Bahamas to Brazil warning of overcrowded hospitals and new infections being reported daily.
More than 2,000 deaths in the region have been reported.
“This year is the year we have seen the highest number of recorded dengue cases in history,” said Thais dos Santos, a consultant for surveillance and control of arboviral diseases at the Pan American Health Organization, the regional office of the World Health Organization in the Americas.
Poor sanitation and lack of effective health systems contribute to the rise in cases, but experts say that droughts and floods associated with climate change are causing greater transmission of the virus, with stored water and heavy rains attracting mosquitoes.
Experts warn that higher temperatures are also helping the virus to develop more rapidly within the mosquito, leading to higher viral loads and a greater likelihood of transmission.
They are seeing “many new things” such as dengue spikes, prolonged seasons, and the spread of dengue further north and south than usual. California, for example, reported its first two locally acquired dengue cases this year, and Florida reported 138 such cases – a record for the state. Last year, Florida reported 65 cases.
This year’s summer in the Northern Hemisphere was the hottest on record. So far, 2023 is the second hottest year on record, according to Copernicus, the European climate service.
Globally, over 4.5 million dengue cases have been reported by early November, with over 4,000 deaths reported in 80 countries. Experts believe that a global record set in 2019 of 5.2 million cases may be surpassed this year.
Countries like Bangladesh have reported a record number of cases and deaths. The government of the South Asian country has reported over 313,700 cases and more than 1,600 deaths, most occurring within three days of hospitalization, according to published data.
The mosquito that transmits dengue has also been identified in 22 European countries, with local transmission of the disease observed in France, Italy, and Spain. In August, Chad, a Central African country, reported its first dengue outbreak.
Dengue currently affects about 129 countries, putting about half of the world’s population at risk, according to the World Health Organization. The virus is primarily transmitted by infected female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which bite hosts to obtain protein for their eggs. The virus can cause severe headaches, fever, vomiting, rashes, and other symptoms. While most infected individuals do not show symptoms, severe cases can lead to death.
In January, the World Health Organization warned that dengue poses a pandemic threat and is the fastest-spreading mosquito-borne disease in the world. Although there are vaccines and specially bred mosquitoes containing a bacterium called Wolbachia to combat dengue, there are no specific treatments for the virus once someone is infected.
Source: The Huffpost