Health
CROSS-SPECTRUM
Rising temperatures boost mosquito-borne disease threats in northern Australia
A new Monash University study warns that warming climates are expanding the risk of malaria and dengue in Australia's northern regions.
Researchers from Monash University have analyzed how climate change interacts with other factors to raise the likelihood of mosquito-transmitted illnesses across Australia. Warmer, more humid conditions and increased rainfall favor both Anopheles and Aedes mosquitoes, which spread malaria and dengue respectively. The study, released on Monday, indicates that these diseases could move into higher altitudes and temperate zones previously unaffected.
Why it matters
Warming climates could expose more Australians to serious mosquito-borne illnesses, demanding new health strategies.
In this story
climate changemosquito-borne diseasemalariadengueAnophelesAedespublic healthtemperature rise
