El Niño and a hotter, wetter climate aid spread of disease

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🗞️ Driving the news: A study by the University of Hawaii, published in Nature Climate Change, reveals that climate change can exacerbate around 58% of infectious diseases faced by humans
• The research accentuates the urgency of mitigating climate change-caused emissions, pointing to over 1,000 ways through which climate hazards spawn diseases

🔭 The context: Climate change combined with the El Niño phenomenon is sounding alarm bells globally, as increased temperatures and altered weather patterns fuel the proliferation of infectious diseases
• The unprecedented warmth of the recent northern hemisphere summer and the ensuing effects of El Niño have sharpened experts' scrutiny on climate-induced health threats

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Historical El Niño events have triggered increased occurrences of maladies like malaria, dengue fever, and cholera in various regions
• The consequences are glaring, with Bangladesh registering over 135,000 dengue cases and tiger mosquito in France leading to a spike in dengue cases

⏭️ What's next: Maria Neira from WHO emphasizes the urgent need for comprehensive preparedness against the health ramifications of climate change
• The WHO advocates for acceptance of the "One Health" concept, urging an integrated approach to human, animal, and environmental health

💬 One quote: "Looking at the interaction between human health, animal health, environmental health, and the environment, is one of the best things we can do. If we mitigate climate change, the health benefits will be enormous.” (Maria Neira, WHO)

📈 One stat: Waterborne diseases lead to an alarming 1.8 million deaths annually worldwide, as per the US National Institutes of Health

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