Why are three diseases that kill children increasing globally this year?

Save the Children says three child-killing diseases – dengue fever, cholera and Mpox – are witnessing a major resurgence in 2024, fueled in part by the climate crisis and conflict, and these diseases will It said that unless it receives global attention by 2025, it is likely to cause significant burdens on local communities.

This year, the number of dengue and Mpox infections has reached an all-time high, with more than 13,600 people, including children, suspected or confirmed to have died from the three diseases. Although the number of cholera cases has decreased slightly globally, deaths from the virus have soared by 126% since 2023.

This year was a year of fear.
Dengue fever in 2024The number of mosquito-borne virus infections has reached a record high of 13.3 million, which is itself more than double the previous high of 6.5 million in 2023. [1]. Increasing urbanization and changes in climate and temperature have increased the number of mosquitoes that can spread the virus. The World Health Organization estimates that 4 billion people are currently at risk from dengue and related viruses, rising to 5 billion by 2050.

There were nearly 500,000 cases cholera This year, 3,432 deaths had been recorded by the end of September, the latest data available. [2]. According to the WHO, the number of infections in 2024 will be 16% lower than last year, but the number of deaths will jump 126%. Increased mortality is due to outbreaks occurring in conflict-affected areas where access to health care is severely impaired and areas affected by flooding where critical infrastructure has been damaged. It is thought that.

This year, the number of infections and deaths have increased significantly. mpox viruswas declared a public health emergency of international concern by both the World Health Organization and the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in August 2024. This follows a surge in mpox infections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighboring countries in Africa, with the majority of cases and deaths in children, and newly circulating mpox variants (the 'clade'). ) are of particular concern for children. .

Beauty, 17, lives with her sister and parents in an informal settlement in Lusaka, Zambia. Her community suffered a major cholera outbreak earlier this year. the beauty said:

“This cholera outbreak has had a big impact on me and my family, because my father had to take time off from work because of the cholera outbreak, and my mother, who is a teacher, It was difficult for us because we had to take time off from work due to the same issue. In terms of finances and survival, however, by the grace of God, we will survive because most of the diseases that occur occur because people drink contaminated water. This will prevent you from contracting diseases such as cholera.”

Dr. Revati Faruqui, Director of Global Health and Nutrition, said:

“Currently, approximately half of the world's population is not adequately covered by essential, quality, and affordable health services and is unable to achieve the right to health promised as part of the goal of universal health coverage. Health systems are under enormous pressure to achieve universal coverage in the majority of countries, with coverage deteriorating or worsening since the launch of the Sustainable Development Goals in 2015. No major changes have been seen.

“Building strong health systems that can provide essential health services, especially vaccines and essential medicines, while responding to global health emergencies, including emerging challenges like mpox, requires a larger global Investment required.

“The time has come for governments and the international community to work together to ensure that all children are protected from disease and have access to appropriate health services when and where they need it. We have the right to survive and thrive, and we deserve it.'' It is our collective responsibility to achieve this. ”

Although these headline-grabbing diseases showed rapid increases in cases or deaths in 2024, pneumonia remains the leading infectious cause of death in children under 5, accounting for approximately 500,000 deaths per year. A child is dead.

However, new estimates from the Global Survey of Diseases, Injuries and Risk Factors (GBD) show that the number of children dying from pneumonia will plummet from 693,000 in 2019 to 502,000 in 2021, the lowest on record. The number was . This 28% reduction is believed to be due to the impact of COVID-19 restrictions, highlighting the power of preventing the spread of infection. However, respiratory diseases such as pneumonia are likely to rise again as a result of the climate crisis, and children are the ones most affected by inequality and poverty.

On the other hand, children are especially susceptible to dengue fever because they have weaker immune systems than adults and tend to play outdoors where protection against mosquitoes is inadequate. Children under 5 years of age are especially at risk of dehydration and shock if infected with dengue fever, and they are the most affected if the disease incapacitates or dies of their parents or other caregivers. .

Mpox causes fever, rash, lesions all over the body, severe headaches, fatigue, and some children develop respiratory illness and difficulty swallowing. In severe cases, mpox can lead to sepsis, a life-threatening reaction to infection that requires immediate professional attention.

Cholera takes a toll on young children, especially those under five years of age, who are at high risk of severe dehydration and death during cholera outbreaks.

Around the world, Save the Children provides public health care to children and their families, including treatment for diseases such as dengue fever, cholera and MPO, and works with schools and communities to raise awareness of infection prevention. I am.

Note:

• [1] See total global dengue-related deaths in 2024 – 9600 people [2]; See total deaths from cholera and acute watery diarrhea in 2024 – 4018 people [3]; See Total Mpox deaths in 2024 – 57 people
  [4]; Total number of deaths from the three diseases in 2024 – 13,675 people.
• [2] According to the WHO Global Dengue Surveillance, more than 13.3 million dengue cases and 9,600 dengue-related deaths have been reported worldwide since the beginning of 2024. https://worldhealthorg.shinyapps.io/dengue fever_global/
• [3]

  According to WHO, from 1 January to 27 October 2024, a total of 486,760 cases of cholera and acute watery diarrhea and 4,018 deaths were reported from 33 countries across five WHO regions. It was done. Although the number of cases reported in October 2024 was down 42% compared to the same period in 2023, the number of deaths was up 54%, reflecting serious response challenges at the outbreak site. . [
  https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/multi-country-outbreak-of-cholera–external-situation-report–20—20-november-2024]

• [4]

  According to WHO, as of December 1, 2024, 20 countries have reported 13,171 confirmed Mpox cases in Africa, including 57 deaths. https://worldhealthorg.shinyapps.io/mpx_global/

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