‘Climate change behind dengue’s re-emergence in Southeast Asia’

Thaindian, via IANS: Health ministers from Southeast Asian countries Thursday pledged to combat tobacco use and to curb the spread of the mosquito-borne dengue disease, which they claimed was re-emerging due to climate change in the region. Health ministers and health experts from 11 countries, including India, adopted six resolutions - with a special focus on tobacco and dengue - at the conclusion of a World Health Organisation regional committee meeting here.

The committee expressed concern over the re-emergence of dengue as a serious public health threat in countries of the region. Understanding that global climate change has resulted in the re-emergence of dengue in the region with an increase in outbreaks, the committee recognised that the disease has far-reaching cross-border and international implications.

Every year, hundreds of people are dying due to this mosquito-borne disease and thousands others are getting affected in the region. The member states agreed to strengthen dengue surveillance, prevention and control systems. WHO and the committee also decided to strengthen surveillance to assess the burden of dengue….

The dengue fever virus