The Aedes aegypti mosquito, the vector of dengue fever, is expanding its range in Peru, reaching highland areas where it was historically uncommon.
A study modeled the vector’s distribution, indicating that 10.23% of the national territory has a high probability of the mosquito’s presence, and another 23.65% has moderate conditions.
Departments such as San Martín, Piura, Loreto, Cajamarca, Amazonas, and Cusco are among the most exposed. This expansion is attributed to climatic factors, including climate change and phenomena like El Niño, which favor the mosquito’s survival and reproduction.
Further expansion of areas with a high probability of the vector is projected by 2070 under climate change scenarios.
