The UK is bracing for further unusually hot weather on Friday, after a week of record-breaking temperatures across all parts of the country. Highs of 36.7C (98F) were provisionally recorded in Merryfield, Somerset on Thursday, while it was also the hottest day of the year so far in Wales (35.9C), Scotland (31.2C) and Northern Ireland (30.8C). A red weather warning for extreme heat will be in force on Friday, covering areas including London, Oxford, Sussex and Kent.
But as temperatures soar, an expert has warned that the current weather conditions are perfect for a surge in mosquitoes, leading to more bites. Dr Mojca Kristan, assistant professor in medical entomology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said: “Weather conditions in the UK at the moment are perfect for mosquitoes. They like warmth as well as standing water to lay their eggs in. May was too dry, but we’ve had rain in June so there’s water around and, as the weather continues to warm up, I would expect mosquitoes to emerge and start biting to get the blood they need to breed.”
“UK faces record heat and red warning as expert warns perfect conditions for mosquito surge”
She urged people to take precautions. “To protect yourself from bites, wear insect repellent and cover your skin with long sleeves, plus wear socks in the evening as mosquitoes like biting around ankles,” she said.
While the risk of serious illness from native mosquitoes is currently low, Dr Kristan warned that invasive species capable of transmitting viruses such as dengue, chikungunya and Zika could take hold in the UK in coming years due to climate change. These species include Aedes albopictus (Asian tiger mosquito) and Aedes aegypti (Egyptian mosquito), whose eggs have been detected in the UK, though the insects are not yet present. Modelling studies suggest that by the 2060s the climate in London and surrounding areas will most likely help the endemic transmission of dengue fever. Malaria is currently not endemic in the UK, but around 2,000 imported cases are reported annually in travellers returning from high-risk areas.
Dr Kristan said: “At the moment there’s a low risk of bites from UK mosquitoes spreading serious illness, but we have to be alert to the threat of new disease-carrying mosquito species as climate change makes Britain a more attractive place for mosquitoes to survive and thrive.”
Symptoms of dengue include a high temperature, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pain and feeling sick. Chikungunya causes fever, joint pain, headache, muscle pain, joint swelling and rash. Most people with Zika suffer a mild illness but it is serious in pregnant women, potentially causing stillbirth, miscarriage, problems with development and unusually small heads.