Dangerous viruses have reached Europe

Alarming trend: dengue and chikungunya viruses are rapidly taking over Europe. According to a new study published in The Lancet Planetary Health, the period between the appearance of the infection vector - the Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) - and the first disease outbreak has shortened to a record five years. For comparison, in the 1990s, this process took decades.

Behind the accelerated spread of dangerous viruses is not only globalization and increased tourist flows, but also climate change. Rising temperatures are turning European cities into an ideal environment for the breeding of vector mosquitoes. Researchers have identified an alarming pattern: an increase in average summer temperature by just 1 °C increases the probability of an infection outbreak by 55%, with densely populated areas posing the greatest danger.

A significant contribution to the spread of viruses is also made by travelers who, returning from tropical countries, unwittingly become sources of local epidemics. The statistics are disappointing: from 2007 to 2024, 66 disease outbreaks have been recorded in EU countries, and the Aedes albopictus mosquito has already established itself in 358 European regions. According to scientists' forecasts, by the 2060s, the frequency of outbreaks may increase almost fivefold.

In light of these threatening trends, researchers insist on the immediate adoption of comprehensive measures: strengthening the epidemiological surveillance system, implementing early warning mechanisms, and conducting a large-scale information campaign among the population about the risks of the spread of dangerous fevers.