Dengue cases surge in urban areas due to climate change, expert warns

An infectious disease expert has warned that dengue cases are increasing in highly urbanized areas, attributing the surge to climate change and deteriorating environmental conditions.

Quezon City has declared a dengue outbreak, resulting in 10 deaths, including eight minors.

The expert, Dr. Rontgene Solante, noted the rise in dengue cases is not limited to Quezon City but is also observed in Baguio, Palawan, and Cebu City since December and January.

Dr. Solante explained that climate change and environmental factors have altered mosquito behavior, contributing to increased vulnerability in densely populated areas with poor sanitation.

Dr. Lulu Bravo, executive director of the Philippine Foundation for Vaccination, identified climate change as a driving factor due to the Philippines' abundant water sources acting as breeding grounds.

Bravo stated that continuous rainfall, even outside the typical rainy season, exacerbates the problem by providing more breeding sites for mosquitoes.

The Aedes aegypti mosquito, which transmits dengue, now survives in colder temperatures and its virus can mutate, leading to its spread in 134 countries worldwide from an initial 20 in the 1950s and 1960s.