Greek expert sounds alarm about potential dengue fever epidemic in Europe
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Athens Medical School professor and epidemiologist Sotiris Tsiodras warned about the potential rise of dengue fever cases in Europe due to climate change.
Speaking at a public health seminar in Athens this week, Tsiodras highlighted that in South America, every hospital bed is equipped with a mosquito net to prevent dengue fever transmission between patients.
He noted that in Brazil, where the disease incidence has surged by 450% over the past five years, there are plans to produce billions of mosquitoes infected with a special parasite to curb dengue fever transmission.
In the early months of 2024, France, Italy, and Spain have reported a 250% increase in dengue cases compared to the same period in 2023, attributing this spike to climate change, Tsiodras added.
“I find it hard to envision every bed in Greek hospitals needing its own mosquito net,” said Tsiodras, who advised the Health Ministry during the Covid-19 pandemic.
He emphasized that climate change has significantly impacted the spread of communicable diseases by affecting the distribution and ecology of transmitters (like mosquitoes), water quality and availability, and food safety.
Additionally, Academy of Athens secretary-general Christos Zerefos pointed out the rise in drought indicators, such as decreased relative humidity in the air and soil. He stressed that in 2023, soil humidity in the Mediterranean fell below 10%, causing severe consequences in Greece and Spain.
