Overview
- The Asian tiger mosquito is expanding in Germany, raising the chance of local transmission of dengue and chikungunya.
- West Nile virus is now present in eastern Germany, where it had not been detected before 2018.
- Rising temperatures tied to climate change are enabling virus-carrying mosquitoes to spread more easily.
- Germany was ill prepared for COVID, with data rules obscuring vaccination and infection levels and notable vaccine hesitancy.
- Another pandemic could emerge at any time, with global mobility and mass animal farming increasing risk even as rapid vaccine development remains a key strength.