Santander (EFE).- The virologist Margarita del Val has asked to be “vigilant” in the face of a possible increase in dengue cases in the Spanish Mediterranean, a phenomenon that may be increasing according to the CSIC researcher due to the increase in temperatures in winter due to the global warming.
During his presentation at the conference “Viruses, pandemics and global health, researching for the near future”, which was held this Wednesday at the Ateneo de Santander, del Val warned that more and more insects that were previously typical of the tropics , are present in areas such as the Mediterranean due to this increase in temperatures.
This type of insect that is now found in the Mediterranean, he pointed out, can carry infections such as dengue, which was already detected at the beginning of the month in some German tourists who had traveled to Ibiza.
Although he has stressed that these outbreaks have not escalated and is confident that “there will not be”, he has asked that society be “prepared” and take the “lessons” of the covid-19 pandemic as an example. “We are more prepared for new pandemics,” she confided.
Dengue in the Mediterranean, unlikely but if it starts to rise, we will be more exposed
“If there are few people who are infected, there is little chance that the insect that bites me will bring dengue, but if this starts to rise like in the first wave, since there are many cases we will be more exposed,” he explained.
During this conference, Margarita del Val pointed out that the CSIC has an active monitoring group for bird flu, which “for now is in birds” and the Marburg virus, a “very dangerous” agent, she explained, with registered cases in Equatorial Guinea and that the connection between that country and Spain is being monitored.
He has insisted on working to have “cleaner air” to combat respiratory diseases, which, in his opinion, have increased this winter due to energy savings due to high prices, which has caused houses to be ventilated less.
He has also referred to the situation of the covid-19 pandemic, which he has celebrated, is “controlled” with the omicron variant thanks to the immunity of the population and vaccines.
Regarding vaccines, he pointed out that “it is not yet known” if a fifth dose will be required next fall because currently the population is “well protected” but “it depends on what comes.”