The aedes mosquito, which transmits dengue and chikungunya viruses, is now established in 16 European countries and officials say that temperatures in the south east of England are already high enough for these mosquitoes to survive. “The overall risk to the public from vector-borne diseases in England remains low, but the findings of this report demonstrate how that risk picture is changing due to factors including climate change, urbanisation and the globalisation of trade and travel,” said Professor Lea BerrangFord, from the UKHSA.
“We are now seeing cases of mosquito-borne infections regularly reported across Europe, while we continue to detect incursions of invasive mosquitoes at points of entry in the UK, and it is therefore vital to maintain robust surveillance to protect the biosecurity.”
Dr Arran Folly, from the APHA, added: “Mosquitoes and ticks are more than just seasonal nuisances, they can act as early warning signals for emerging disease threats.”
