WHO announces plan to combat dengue as cases double amid climate change
Agency estimates up to 400 million infections yearly, and 7,900 deaths have been reported in 2024 so far.
Dengue cases have doubled as mosquitoes spread with climate change. Photo: Shutterstock The World Health Organization has announced a global plan to battle dengue fever and other mosquito-related diseases. Due to climate change, mosquitoes are spreading to new regions, increasing the danger of these diseases.
“The rapid spread of dengue and other diseases in recent years is an alarming trend,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. “[It] demands a coordinated response across sectors and borders”.
The UN health agency said that the number of reported dengue cases has doubled yearly since 2021. More than 7,900 deaths were reported in just the first eight months of 2024. The WHO estimates that there are between 100 million and 400 million infections yearly.
Dengue is carried by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, who have spread as the planet warms.