Asian tiger mosquitoes carrying dengue fever could be common in England by the middle of this century, according to government health experts.
The insects have spread across large parts of Europe in recent years because of warmer conditions – and tend to live in urban areas and feed during the day, putting people at greater risk.
They are known for their striped body and its potential to spread dengue fever, zika virus and chikungunya – diseases normally associated with tropical regions.
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King ‘worried greatly’ by climate change
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) fears dengue fever could be transmitted in London by 2060, and the mosquito itself could become widespread across England in the 2040s.
Jolyon Medlock, an entomologist at UKHSA, said monitoring at borders can help slow the spread of mosquitoes – and people can keep them away by covering any standing water or empty containers, as the insects lay eggs in them.
UKHSA chief executive Professor Dame Jenny Harries said: “Things that when I trained many years ago were called tropical diseases will actually become national domestic diseases.”
Officials also said other food or water-based infectious diseases could become more common, with an increased risk of more pandemics.
Danger from extreme heat will worsen and so will flooding, which can also damage people’s mental health.
Food prices are also likely to become more volatile as much of what the UK imports is from regions sensitive to climate