Travel-related Zika virus disease cases in the EU
Zika virus disease, transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, primarily affects travelers. Mainland Europe remains non-endemic, with the majority of cases imported from outside the European Union. Surveillance conducted by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) makes Zika virus disease a notifiable condition at the EU level.
The European Union's health agency has issued a warning about the significant rise in cases of dengue fever and other mosquito-borne diseases across Europe.
In 2023, there were 130 locally acquired cases of dengue reported in the EU region, compared to 71 in 2022, the highest since EU monitoring began in 2008. In 2023, 713 locally acquired virus cases were reported in nine EU countries, spanning 123 different regions, resulting in 67 deaths.
In light of increasing cases, understanding diseases like dengue fever becomes crucial.
Dengue is a viral infection transmitted by mosquitoes, typically causing mild symptoms lasting about a week. Severe cases, known as severe dengue, can lead to life-threatening complications.
There's no specific treatment for dengue; however, patients can manage symptoms with painkillers, hydration, and rest. Severe cases may require medical intervention like blood transfusions and intravenous fluids.
Simple steps such as removing stagnant water and personal protective measures can help reduce the risk of mosquito bites.
Europe is already seeing how climate change is creating more favorable conditions for invasive mosquitoes to spread into previously unaffected areas and infect more people with diseases such as dengue," ECDC director Andrea Ammon said during a press conference. "What we can see is that there is a connection between a higher temperature in summer, a milder winter and the spread of the mosquitoes further in areas where they are not present right now."
The Aedes Aegypti species, responsible for spreading yellow fever, Dengue or Zika, has recently established itself in Cyprus and several outermost EU regions, such as Madeira and the French Caribbean islands.