Brussels: The European Union's health agency announced Wednesday that Europe has recorded a record-high number of mosquito-borne disease cases this year, including Chikungunya and West Nile viruses-a new reality driven by climate change.
According to Qatar News Agency, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) reported that mosquito-borne disease seasons in Europe are becoming longer and more intense, a trend linked to climate and environmental changes such as rising temperatures, longer summers, milder winters, and shifts in rainfall patterns. These changes create favorable conditions for mosquitoes to thrive and spread viruses.
The agency noted that the Aedes albopictus mosquito, capable of transmitting the Chikungunya virus, is now present in 16 European countries and 369 regions, compared to just 114 regions a decade ago. Europe has recorded 27 Chikungunya cases so far in 2025-a new all-time high for the continent. For the first time, a locally transmitted case was reported in Alsace, northeastern France, an exceptional event at such a northern latitude, highlighting the growing risk of disease spreading further north.
Between January 1 and August 13, eight European countries recorded 335 locally acquired cases of West Nile virus and 19 related deaths, with Italy being the hardest hit, reporting 274 cases. The ECDC urged residents in affected areas to protect themselves from mosquito bites by using repellents, wearing long sleeves and pants, and installing mosquito nets.