GENEVA: The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a warning about the widespread risk of dengue virus infection, affecting approximately 4 billion people globally. This alarming statistic was highlighted during a weekend briefing by the WHO.

According to Philippines News Agency, who leads the team on arboviruses in the WHO’s emergencies program, there have been over 5 million reported cases and 5,000 deaths due to dengue since the beginning of 2023. The Americas region accounts for nearly 80 percent of these cases, with 4.1 million incidents reported, followed by significant numbers in Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific.

Rojas Alvarez pointed out that the distribution of mosquitoes, which are primary vectors of the dengue virus, has shifted in recent years. Factors such as the 2023 El Niño phenomenon and climate change have contributed to the rise in dengue cases, even in countries like France, Italy, and Spain, which were previously not affected by the disease.

She also expressed concern about the prevalence of dengue in the Eastern Mediterranean region, particularly in countries experiencing conflict and instability, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sudan, Somalia, and Yemen. These countries face additional challenges such as outbreaks of other infectious diseases, mass population movements, inadequate water and sanitation infrastructure, and frequent natural disasters.

In Africa, dengue fever has been detected in both local residents and individuals returning from travels to more than 30 African countries. While dengue is not endemic in Europe and most cases are usually related to travel, the WHO European Region has reported small clusters of autochthonous, or locally transmitted, dengue cases this year.