Aedes albopictus

When temperatures and humidity levels rise, our gardens and balconies often become unwelcome hosts to mosquitoes. However, their presence is no longer as harmless as we once thought.

Τhe European Center for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC) has highlighted the danger posed by the increase in Europe of diseases transmitted by mosquitoes, as a result of climate change. 

Health authorities in Paris fumigated areas of the French capital for the first time on Aug. 31 to kill disease-carrying tiger mosquitoes whose rapid advance through northern Europe is thought to have been accelerated by climate change.

The number of areas in Europe where the tiger mosquito has established a presence in the past decade has tripled as a result of climate change, according to experts who say Europe is rapidly heading towards a future where tropical diseases will affect its population.

Around 193,000 regions in Istanbul's seven districts are main centers where mosquitoes breed, according to a "mosquito map of the city" presented at a health congress in the metropolis where international and local health experts gathered to find solutions against the invasion of mosquitoes.

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A Turkish academic has raised the alarm over looming disease threats that could be caused by Asian tiger mosquitos which have recently been seen frequently and especially in Istanbul.

Many complaints have been coming in from Istanbul residents who generally get bitten by the Asian tiger mosquito, a carrier of malaria, yellow fever, the West Nile virus and the Zika virus.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (KEELPNO) on Wednesday confirmed the first case of West Nile virus in Greece this year.

According to KEELPNO, laboratory tests confirmed that an 85-year-old Greek man has been infected with the virus, which can be fatal.

The man is a resident of Attica and has not traveled to other parts of the country, KEELPNO said.