The viruses that shaped 2024

This year saw record-breaking surges in dengue and mpox cases, a polio outbreak in Gaza, and the emergence of new viral threats. Dengue cases reached unprecedented levels Dengue fever, a mosquito-borne disease, broke global records in 2024. The Americas alone reported approximately 12.7 million cases by early December—90% of the world’s estimated 14 million total cases. This staggering number more than doubles the previous record of 5.3 million cases reported globally by the WHO in 2023. Experts point to climate change, El Niño, and urbanization as driving factors behind the outbreak. Rising temperatures are estimated to have increased dengue transmission by 18% in the Americas and Asia. Projections suggest that if warming trends continue, transmission could rise by 40–57% by 2050. Mpox declared a global emergency An escalating mpox outbreak in Central Africa prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare a public health emergency of international concern in August. Mpox, known for its fever,...