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posted by Cactus on Saturday March 08 2014, @03:30AM   Printer-friendly
from the run-from-the-hills dept.

janrinok writes:

The BBC reports that warmer temperatures are causing the spread of malaria to higher altitudes.

The report goes on to say:

'Researchers have found that people living in the highlands of Africa and South America are at an increased risk of catching the mosquito-borne disease during hotter years. They believe that temperature rises in the future could result in millions of additional cases in some areas.

The research is published in the journal Science. Prof Mercedes Pascual, from the University of Michigan in the US, who carried out the research, said: "The impact in terms of increasing the risk of exposure to disease is very large." He goes on to say: "We have estimated that, based on the distribution of malaria with altitude, a 1C rise in temperature could lead to an additional three million cases in under-15-year-olds per year."'

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  • (Score: 3, Interesting) by EQ on Saturday March 08 2014, @06:28AM

    by EQ (1716) on Saturday March 08 2014, @06:28AM (#13110)

    Mosquitos need standing water, for the most part, to develop in. If the higher altitudes are dryer, and the warming is also drying, then it's not quite so cut and dried. Also, what about use of DDT? Just curious if these were considered or factored in.

  • (Score: 4, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday March 08 2014, @12:59PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Saturday March 08 2014, @12:59PM (#13168)

    Believe it or not this will prove quite disastrous. Lot of cities in Africa were built in highlands specifically because they provided good weather and no mosquitoes. Places like Addis Ababa [wikipedia.org] will be significantly impacted.

  • (Score: 1) by Beukenbosje on Sunday March 09 2014, @09:35AM

    by Beukenbosje (697) on Sunday March 09 2014, @09:35AM (#13512)

    Read Charles C Mann's "1493" about Malaria in Western Europe being brought to America, causing Indians to die, leading to slavery of african ex-warriors (sold by africans btw). Very interesting read for those who like to see the bigger picture in things.