What is the mosquito-borne disease Sri Lanka is using drones to fight?
Sri Lanka is utilizing military drones to identify and eliminate stagnant water sites to combat a severe dengue fever outbreak. The virus, transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, has seen a significant global surge in cases as rising temperatures expand the insects' habitats.
Why it matters
The integration of drone technology in public health surveillance highlights innovative approaches to managing vector-borne diseases amid climate-driven shifts in disease prevalence.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, The virus, which is spread to humans through mosquitoes, is common in tropical climates
Battling its worst dengue outbreak in nearly a decade, Sri Lanka has deployed military drones to scan for stagnant pools of water on rooftops and other mosquito-breeding sites.
The virus has killed 56 people and infected more than 77,000 others in the South Asian nation this year, with more than a quarter of them reported in July alone.
Dengue fever, which is spread to humans through mosquitoes, is common in tropical climates.
But as temperatures rise worldwide, these disease-carrying mosquitos are now moving into new areas, including Europe and the Mediterranean. According to the WHO, the number of global reported cases surged from around 500,000 in the year 2000 to 14.4 million in 2024.
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