Photo: Symbol for Covid
More than 58% of human diseases caused by pathogens, like dengue, hepatitis, pneumonia, malaria, Zika and more, have been–at some point—aggravated by climatic hazards. They include warming, drought, heatwaves, wildfires, extreme precipitation, floods, storms, sea level rise, ocean biogeochemical change, and land cover change. Those have influenced diseases triggered by viruses, bacteria, animals, fungi, protozoans, plants and chromists. Primarily transmitted by vectors, some also have come via waterborne, airborne, direct contact and foodborne transmission pathways. Climatic hazards are bringing pathogens closer to people and are bringing us closer to them. These hazards have enhanced specific aspects of pathogens and diminished human capacity to cope with them. There are too many diseases (like Covid), and pathways of transmission, for adaptation to climate change alone to save us.
Story Source: University of Hawaii at Manoa.