“Climate change will kill people because it encourages the emergence and spread of infectious diseases,” Peter Sands, executive director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, warned a few months ago.

Peskov’s statement, while it may be characterized by some as harsh, is by no means hypothetical, as a number of investigations conducted specifically after the end of the restrictive measures against Covid-19 do not dispute that the next health crisis could be caused by the impact of climate change which nourishes existing and non-existent diseases.

Seeing that changes in the environment are now happening much faster than in the past, experts are concerned that this the crisis increases the possibility of the spread of pathogens and viruses from which no one is immune.

223 diseases exacerbated due to climate change

According to a study published in the journal Nature, 223 human pathogens are exacerbated by a wide range of climate risks caused by ongoing greenhouse gas emissions and other factors.

Experts point out that the sheer number of pathogenic diseases exacerbated by climate risks is indicative of the magnitude of the threat to human health posed by climate change and the urgent need for aggressive action to address the climate crisis.

However, it appears that the effects of climate change are already being seen on the health of citizens in various parts of the world.

For example, in Abakaliki in southeastern Nigeria, the effects of the climate crisis have led to an increase in the number of rats in the area. This leads to the fact that people often fall ill with “Lassa hemorrhagic fever”, for which there is still no vaccine.

One billion people exposed to ‘disease carriers’

But not only Lhasa hemorrhagic fever worries scientists. Global warming could lead to the spread of the most important disease vectors, namely the tiger mosquito (Aedes Aegypti) and Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes Albopictus), extend for kilometers from the areas that are now located.

In the next century, nearly a billion people could experience any mosquito-borne virus for the first time in Europe and high altitude tropical and subtropical regions, according to a study published in 2019.

“Disease X”

The above are not the only worrying facts at the center of the scientific community, as climate change further increases the risk of a new infectious disease (known as “disease X”) that can be transmitted by animals and cause a new wave of pandemic. “Disease X”, this yet unknown virus is already a future threat and is high on the World Health Organization’s pandemic risk list.

OUR Ames Adaya, American infectious disease physician and senior fellow in infectious disease and bioterrorism at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, analyzes in “TO” the way in which the climate crisis promotes the growth of certain pathogens in particular, as well as the transmission of infections in general.

Changes in rainfall, temperatures, and extreme weather events can encourage people to become infected with new pathogens that haven’t reappeared in a particular geographic area, he said.

“People are forced to adapt to climate conditions by increasing their chances of being in close proximity to certain pathogens — for example, moving to certain areas, or staying indoors more often, or using more air conditioners (legionnaires’ disease),” says the doctor. Hendaye.

However, as people move to areas more saturated with pathogens – for example, due to the presence of different animal species – increased risk of new infections (“disease X”).

Hans Kluge in “K”: “The EU must invest in better surveillance systems”

Conversation with “K” WHO Regional Director for Europe, dr. Hans Kluge, noted that indeed rapid climate change carries several risks for our health, and therefore the international community must be ready.

According to Dr. Kluge, biodiversity loss, intensive farming practices and human intervention in wildlife habitats can greatly increase the risk of animal-to-human transmission of viruses, while about 70% of emerging diseases – Ebola, Zika, Nipah encephalitis – and almost all known pandemics – influenza, HIV / AIDS, COVID-19 – zoonotic, that is, diseases caused by microbes of animal origin.

The WHO Regional Director for Europe believes that the solution to the problem is twofold. “Above all, we must urgently address the climate crisis by moving away from fossil fuels, investing in renewable energy sources and protecting biodiversity and the health of the planet. Second, countries need to adapt to climate change, including making their health systems more resilient and able to cope with future pandemics.

For this to happen, Dr. Kluge thinks he shouldEU Member States to invest in improved surveillance systems for infectious diseases and other health threats; and develop and implement national health adaptation plans, making climate resilience, low-carbon services and environmental sustainability integral components of the NHA.

Valuable lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic

At the same time, he notes that governments should learn valuable lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We must focus our efforts on learning from this pandemic. The goal of both Greece and other European states should be to strengthen human resources in the health sector. And greater community involvement for health equity. For this reason, efforts to develop a common pan-European approach to public health and to improve science and health communication remain two key issues for discussion,” concludes Dr. Kluge.