Dengue fever is on the rise in Europe. Should Canadian travellers worry?

The European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention pointed to the Asian tiger mosquito, setting up shop in at least 13 European countries, as the likely cause of the spread.

Dengue fever is on the rise in parts of Europe with experts linking local outbreaks to an invasive species of mosquito.

But with travellers heading to the region for summer, scientists and medical professionals say that though the risk is low, there are still things you can do to stay safe.

According to the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, several countries have reported a substantial increase in the number of imported dengue cases and while local cases for 2024 are not yet known, there’s concern the recent rise could be a sign of what’s to come.

The agency pointed to aedes albopictus, also known as the Asian tiger mosquito, setting up shop in at least 13 European countries, including Greece and France.

“The observed rise in the number of locally-acquired cases of dengue in Europe is of concern as it shows the environmental conditions in Europe have become suitable for the transmission of the virus,” Celine Gossner, ECDC principal expert in emerging and vector-borne diseases, said in an email. “We can expect to see more outbreaks within Europe and possibly larger outbreaks.”

The ECDC reports between 2010 and 2021, there were 73 locally acquired cases for the entire period.

Yet in 2022 there were 71 reported that year, and 130 cases just last year, what the agency calls a “significant increase.”

In addition, the number of cases to come into Europe is also rising, with more than 4,900 cases in 2023, a sharp increase from 1,572 in 2022 and the highest number reported since the start of surveillance at the European Union level in 2008.