Malaria Cases Rise Rapidly In African Highlands Previously Free Of Disease

[hatrack]

A sharp increase in malaria outbreaks in Kericho and throughout the East African highlands may be a by-product of global warming, a team of US scientists suggests.

Their study of temperature records in highland areas since the 1970s found an overall warming trend of 0.5 degrees Celsius. And although this change is small, its apparent effect on mosquito populations has been large, the researchers say.

A computer simulation indicates that the observed temperature rise has led to a 40 per cent increase in the number of mosquitoes in Kericho and doubling of the number in Kabale, Uganda.

"Malaria is indeed affecting more and more residents of Kenya's highlands, where cool temperatures have in the past meant that mosquito abundance is typically very low," notes ecologist Mercedes Pascual. The frequency of severe malaria cases on Kericho's tea estates soared from 16 per 1,000 people in 1986 to 120 per 1,000 in 1998.


EDIT

http://allafrica.com/stories/200603270725.html

[pitohui]

1. this is unfortunate

i visited kenya in 2004 and was impressed at how few mosquitoes were present in the highlands, some of which are very reminiscient of the scottish highlands apparently, as they have a scottish name, the aberdares (spelling?)

people can't take malaria medication life long because of the side effects so it is good to have places to go that are malaria free

nairobi is fortunately malaria free or was then anyway