Mosquitoes carrying the dengue virus are not venturing northward despite isolated sightings as far as New Taipei City, but they are expanding their range to higher altitudes, a study commissioned by the Ministry of Environment found yesterday.
The ministry commissioned the National Health Research Institutes to report on the distribution of dengue fever vectors in response to the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change prediction that harmful arthropods are expanding to higher altitudes.
The report aims to provide a solid, systematic and science-based foundation for the government to reference when drafting policies to control dengue vectors, the ministry said.
Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Environment via CNA
The distribution of the Aedes aegypti, or yellow fever mosquito, which spreads dengue fever and several other illnesses, remained around the same in regions south of Chiayi County’s Budai Township (布袋), Huang Ching-chi (黃旌集), project convener and a researcher at the National Mosquito-borne Diseases Control Research Center, told reporters.
From field studies, the center discovered one yellow fever mosquito in Yunlin County’s Beigang Township (北港) and one in New Taipei City’s Banciao Railway Station in 2022.
Last year, it captured one yellow fever mosquito each in Chiayi County’s Jhongpu Township (中埔) and Taichung’s Sinwurih (新烏日) railway station. As for the Asian tiger mosquito, Huang said it has shown signs of expanding to regions higher than 1,500m.
Studies between 2009 and 2011 showed isolated incidents of Asian tiger mosquitoes in areas 1,700m above sea level, but this year’s study showed a general expansion of the mosquito population in places higher than 1,500m, he said.
However, with fewer population centers in mountainous regions, the presence of Asian tiger mosquitoes should not contribute to increased dengue outbreaks, the study said.
Huang said that spare tires, empty barrels and buckets, junked bathtubs, urns, pots and pans, which are often used as makeshift flower pots, are also possible sites for carrier mosquitoes to lay eggs.
Yellow fever and Asian tiger mosquitoes found in high-altitude areas often hatch from water in spare tires, he said.
The eggs of disease-carrying mosquitoes are known to last for up to half a year in dry conditions and hatch when next exposed to water, Huang said, urging people to clean out tires when possible and to remember to puncture holes in them to drain out water.
If climate change causes temperatures to rise by 1.5oC by 2040, yellow fever mosquitoes could range as far north as Hualien County’s Rueisui Township (瑞穗) in the east and Taichung’s Taiping District (太平) in the west, the study showed.
If temperatures rise 2oC by 2060, the mosquitoes are expected to expand to Hualien City in the east and Taichung’s Beitun District (北屯) in the west, it said.
A 2.5oC increase by 2080 would see the mosquitoes extend their range further north to Taichung’s Tanzih District (潭子) in the west, it said.
A strong continental cold air mass and abundant moisture bringing snow to mountains 3,000m and higher over the past few days are a reminder that more than 60 years ago Taiwan had an outdoor ski resort that gradually disappeared in part due to climate change. On Oct. 24, 2021, the National Development Council posted a series of photographs on Facebook recounting the days when Taiwan had a ski resort on Hehuanshan (合歡山) in Nantou County. More than 60 years ago, when developing a branch of the Central Cross-Island Highway, the government discovered that Hehuanshan, with an elevation of more than 3,100m,
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