UK at Risk from Tropical Diseases as Aid Cuts Threaten Mosquito Control, Experts Warn
Climate change is making the UK more vulnerable to mosquito-borne tropical diseases, scientists have warned. They urge the government to bolster global disease surveillance and control efforts amid concerns that recent international aid cuts will hinder these efforts.
Mosquito experts fear reduced funding will weaken disease monitoring and prevention in countries where such illnesses are already endemic, potentially leading to more deaths and wider global spread.
The warning follows the UK Health Security Agency’s recent detection of West Nile virus in British mosquitoes for the first time. Although no human cases have been reported and the public risk is currently low, the finding signals a shift in disease patterns driven by global warming.
Viruses like West Nile, dengue, chikungunya, and Zika were once confined to tropical regions. But rising temperatures are helping them spread into cooler areas, including northern and western Europe. In 2024, over 1,400 West Nile cases and several hundred dengue infections were reported in countries like France and Italy.
Dr. Robert Jones of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine said Europe could face five times more dengue and chikungunya outbreaks by the 2060s under extreme climate scenarios.
“Climate change is making the UK more suitable for disease-carrying mosquitoes,” he noted. “While large outbreaks are unlikely soon, the long-term risk is rising.”
Currently, local mosquito populations capable of transmitting tropical diseases are not widespread in the UK. However, this could change, especially in the south, as the climate warms, said Prof. Tom Solomon of the Pandemic Institute.
There’s no current need for UK residents to take vaccines like yellow fever or use insect repellent routinely in summer. Still, experts stress the importance of strong climate action.
“Reaching net zero may be the most effective way to reduce the threat of mosquito-borne diseases,” said Prof. James Wood of the University of Cambridge.
A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to global health, noting its support for malaria efforts and a new international pandemic agreement.
“Diseases don’t respect borders—neither should our diplomacy,” the spokesperson said.
