Deadly tiger mosquitoes could reach UK within 20 years due to climate change
Deadly tiger mosquitoes could be plaguing Britain within 20 years due to global warming, health chiefs have warned.
The insects spread diseases such as dengue fever and Zika virus and there are fears they will become established in most of England by the 2040s and 2050s.
It comes amid warnings Britain will also experience shortages of fresh foods such as fruit and vegetables as countries we imports from experience catastrophic crop failures, unless global warming is urgently tackled.
The UK Health Security Agency has produced a landmark report on climate change spelling out the health consequences for Britain.
The insects spread diseases such as dengue fever and Zika virus (Getty Images)University of Graz climate scientist Dr Chloe Brimicombe said: “It is scary mosquitoes reaching the UK, but it doesn’t have to be. “When we act on climate change we can protect ours and our future generations’ health.”
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UKHSA head of Climate and Health Security Dr Lea Berrang Ford added: “Temperatures will likely continue to increase until mid-century irrespective of the amount by which we decarbonise. Many current working age adults will be over 65 years by then and potentially vulnerable to the health impacts of increased temperatures.”
Dengue fever, which can be fatal, could become endemic in London by 2060, the report states. The Zika virus can spread from pregnant women to unborn babies and cause severe brain malformations and other birth defects.
The report also warns high global emissions could mean UK mean heat-related deaths in summers will increase by one-and-a-half times in the 2030s and by 12 times by 2070.
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