Geneva:El Ni±o is rapidly intensifying and is anticipated to have significant global health impacts, particularly affecting countries with fragile health systems and ongoing humanitarian crises, according to UN agencies.
According to Philippines News Agency, Armel Castellan, an extreme heat adviser at the WHO-WMO climate and health program, reported that the current sea surface temperatures are at record highs, following the two hottest months on record. El Ni±o is expected to reach its peak by the end of 2026, with its effects persisting beyond that period.
As El Ni±o peaks, regions in the Southern Hemisphere, such as southern Africa, South America, and Australia, will enter their hottest seasons in early 2027. This could heighten the risks of drought, wildfires, smoke, and air pollution, Castellan explained.
Teresa Zakaria, WHO's unit head for risk reduction, humanitarian operations, and climate change, emphasized that El Ni±o poses a significant public health threat. She noted that malnutrition and cholera risks are particularly high in areas affected by drought and flooding.
Currently, over 150 million people face acute food insecurity, a number expected to increase as climate shocks disrupt food production and livelihoods. Additionally, warmer temperatures and shifting rainfall patterns could facilitate the spread of mosquito-borne diseases, such as malaria, dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever, and Zika, into new regions.
Zakaria highlighted the urgency of acting now to prevent these risks from escalating into crises.
