Health Aspects of Global warming

Written By Live Naturally
Dated: July 7, 2009

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There is great deal of unanimity among scientist around the world that global warming is taking place at a fast clip. While we may try to ignore the danger and act as if nothing is amiss, global warming is indeed a reality, something we cannot deny no matter what. The melting of the ice caps and the change in water levels of the sea are sure-shot signs that global warming is creeping slowly upon us. The governments of the world, the United Nations and global alliance of scientists have been warning everyone that if steps are not taken fast, the future of the earth as we know is at stake.
In addition to vast pieces of coastal land being inundated with water and other catastrophic consequences, there are also quite a few health effects that are not at all encouraging with respect to global warming. It is estimated that global warming will cause widespread havoc and deleterious health effects that will lead to a lot of death. This is just a fall out of the rising temperatures that have been witnessed and are likely to get accentuated over the next few years.
Some of the health hazards or diseases that global warming is likely to cause are:
• Dengue: This is a break bone and is caused by mosquitoes which lead to fever with severe chills that is similar to yellow fever. There is as yet no vaccine for dengue fever and it leads to deaths across many tropical countries as of now. With global warming, the spread of dengue fever could advance to a large number of other countries, which are currently not within the purview of dengue fever. Whereas earlier, the cold temperate regions had low enough temperatures to prevent larvae formation of dengue, in recent times, the mosquito that spreads dengue has been seen in the US as far north as Chicago and is even knocking on the doors of Canada.

• Malaria: This is another deadly mosquito borne disease that was limited earlier by low temperatures, but has been progressed in north-ward to encompass various areas in North America. It is estimated that malaria will spread so fast and far that almost 65% of the world population will be at risk of infection. In fact malaria outbreak has been observed in the Walt Disney area in Florida in 1997 and been seen in the New York Area, up in the North East of the USA.

• Cholera and Encephalitis: These diseases have been observed in various parts of the US. Cholera is water borne but was until now observed mostly in the tropical regions. Similarly, encephalitis or brain fever is also caused by mosquitoes and has spread too many regions in the north USA.

• Heat: In addition to many diseases, excessive hot climate will take its toll on millions of people around the world. Heat strokes and other temperature related conditions will also strike many people who live earlier in cool and temperate climates. This is quite a disastrous scenario.