A new study published Thursday warns that tiger mosquitoes are increasingly spreading to Europe because of climate change, raising the risk that tropical diseases such as dengue and chikungunya become endemic across the continent.
Nearly half the global population is now at risk of contracting dengue and chikungunya, which were once limited to the tropics, due to the warming planet. Both viruses, transmitted by mosquitoes, can occasionally be fatal. The symptoms include a high fever, headache, body aches, nausea and rash.
The tiger mosquito, in particular, is venturing farther north as global temperatures rise due to man-made climate change.
The study, published in The Lancet Planetary Health, examined how climate and other factors have influenced the spread of dengue and chikungunya in Europe over the past 35 years. It found that outbreaks have become more frequent and severe since 2010, in line with rising temperatures.
