Dengue Fever Outbreak in US State: Is Climate Change to Blame?

United States: California recorded its fourth locally acquired dengue fever this year last week – a worrying increase in a disease that officials suspect could increase due to climate change. 

More about the news

The latest case of the disease was reported by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health in a resident of Panorama City in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles. 

The department said the individual had never been in areas with dengue transmission, and the case seems unrelated to three other locally acquired cases that were diagnosed in the county earlier this month. 

What more are the experts stating?

The department also took notice that the person had not traveled to regions where dengue is endemic, and furthermore, the case appeared unrelated to three others and was also locally acquired, as reported in the county earlier this month. 

Dengue Fever Outbreak in US State: Is Climate Change to Blame? Credit | AP

According to Muntu Davis, Los Angeles County health officer, “We are seeing the local transmission of dengue, which is unprecedented in Los Angeles County,” the Hill reported. 

The statement comes with words of caution that such phenomena involving local spread are exceedingly rare in the region; county officials nevertheless recommended that people be cautious and avoid mosquito bites and breed. 

More about the disease

Dengue is an infectious tropical and subtropical viral disease transmitted to humans through the bite of infected species of mosquitoes, WHO states.  

Though many illnesses resulting from this virus are relatively mild and flu-like, the disease can sometimes be much worse and even fatal.  

Dengue disease has increased immensely in the last decade; it was reported at 505,430 confirmed cases globally in 2000, but a WHO report showed that it hit 6.5 million cases in 2023.  

Dengue Fever Outbreak in US State: Is Climate Change to Blame? Credit | CDC

The global health agency attributed that increase to changes in the distribution of the types of mosquitoes that transmit the virus, ‘weather events’, and climate change. 

The latter, as per WHO, has contributed to a rise in temperature, rain, and humidity, which are generally, in a way, suitable for mosquitoes. 

According to Erin Mordecai, an associate professor in biology at Stanford University, “This year and last have been two of the high-burden years of dengue on record around the world, and climate change is likely playing a large role in this,” the Hills reported.