Rising
temperatures and extreme precipitation are being linked to the recent
and dramatic rise of the disease, as noted by the World Health
Organization, which has stated that 2.5 billion people are currently at
risk.
The mosquito-borne virus, which has no effective treatment,
produces flu-like symptoms with at least one strain that can be lethal.
Experts
are also cautioning of climate change’s aggravating effect, as
indicated by Dr. Ted Schettler , science director for the US-based
Science and Environmental Health Network.
Dr. Ted Schettler – Science Director, Science & Environment Health Network (M): Dengue
fever is a mosquito-borne viral disease which is also a tropical and
sub-tropical disease but its range seems to be spreading, and not just
because of international travel, but because a change in climate is
supporting of the vector in areas where it didn’t used to be.
There
was also recently reported a particularly sharp increase in dengue
fever, for example, in Puerto Rico. In fact, the Centers for Disease
Control just wrote about that as well, noting that this year’s outbreak
is happening much earlier than it typically does and is much more
severe, and so they themselves are wondering whether that change in
pattern might be due to climate change.
VOICE: The highest
number of reported dengue cases this year have been in Indonesia with
over 80,000 as of August, followed by Thailand with nearly 78,000 by the
end of September. Âu Lạc (Vietnam), Laos, Nepal,Formosa (Taiwan),
southern China, and the Philippines have also noted higher numbers, with
Malaysia also seeing a 53% increase in incidence this year, and India
reporting the highest numbers in two decades.
In the
Philippines, cases as of mid-September were already double those of 2009
with more than 500 people who have perished this year. Meanwhile, and
health officials in Central American Guatemala say that the mosquitoes
now live all year long, not just in winter as before. Europe has even
been hit by the disease, with
a first case appearing in southern France this year.
We
are saddened to know of the thousands affected by this potentially
deadly virus that is spreading with climate change. May our
planet-cooling actions quickly replace such disturbing illnesses with
ever expanding health and vitality. Supreme Master Ching Hai has often
addressed the connection between global warming and disease, as in the
following March 2009 videoconference in California, USA.
Supreme Master Ching Hai: How
can we take measures to protect, not from rising sea levels, but also
all the similar consequences of global warming? See? When the sea level
rises, there will be more mosquitoes and diseases.
Being
vegan is our top priority because this provides the most immediate
cooling through actions that can be taken by individuals because we are a
big group on the planet.
you see Carbon removal is also good and
acts fairly quickly, but being veg is something that every single person
in the world can do and immediately.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/health/2010-09/08/c_13484236.htmhttp://www.plenglish.com//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=219950&Itemid=1http://www.france24.com/en/20100913-france-reports-first-mainland-dengue-infection-ministry