WHO warns of possible surge in tropical viral diseases in 2023-2024
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has launched activities to prepare for the rise in patients with viral tropical diseases in 2023 and 2024, as it expects that the weather phenomenon El Niño will lead to a surge, Reuters reports
According to WHO Chief Adhanom Ghebreyesus, an increase in patients with dengue fever, Zika virus infection and chikungunya is expected. All of these diseases are transmitted to humans through mosquito bites.
The El Niño weather phenomenon is reported to be an increase in the surface temperature of the Pacific Ocean of more than 3°C, resulting in severe drought, flooding, precipitation and rising land temperatures.
In 2016, El Niño-related disasters affected about 60 million people across 30 countries, according to the WHO.
