Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Aug 20: Mosquito-borne diseases are no longer confined to Europe’s warmer corners. According to a new report from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the continent is now facing longer, more widespread, and more intense transmission seasons of infections like West Nile virus (WNV) and chikungunya, driven by rapid environmental and climatic changes.
Rising temperatures, prolonged summers, milder winters, and shifting rainfall patterns have created ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes, enabling them to thrive in regions that were once inhospitable. These changing conditions have significantly expanded the geographical footprint of disease-carrying species such as Aedes albopictus — the mosquito known to spread chikungunya.
“Europe is entering a new phase — where longer, more widespread and more intense transmission of mosquito-borne diseases is becoming the new normal,” said Pamela Rendi-Wagner, Director of ECDC. She added that the agency is actively collaborating with EU member states to provide real-time public health guidance and bolster disease response systems.
The numbers reflect this growing threat. Aedes albopictus is now established in 16 countries and 369 regions across Europe — a sharp increase from just 114 regions a decade ago. The jump, combined with the rebound of global travel, makes localized outbreaks more likely than ever.
This year alone, Europe has recorded 27 chikungunya outbreaks, marking an all-time high. Notably, France’s Alsace region reported its first-ever locally transmitted case of chikungunya — a significant development that underscores how far north the virus is now able to spread.
The spread of West Nile virus is also accelerating. Over the last decade, WNV infections have been recorded in new European areas annually. In 2025, first-time cases have been identified in the Italian provinces of Latina and Frosinone, and in Salaj County, Romania. Europe is also seeing its highest WNV case count in three years, with infections expected to peak in late August or September.
“As the mosquito-borne disease landscape evolves, more people in Europe will be at risk in the future,” warned Dr Céline Gossner, ECDC’s Head of Vector-borne Diseases. “This makes prevention more important than ever — not just through public health initiatives, but also via personal protection and environmentally safe mosquito control strategies.”
The message from the ECDC is clear: mosquito-borne diseases are no longer a distant concern for Europe — they’re here, spreading, and getting worse. With climate conditions favoring their rise, prevention and adaptation must move to the top of the agenda.