UN warns El Niño could worsen hunger and disease by late 2026
WHO and WMO warn El Niño may peak in late 2026, driving severe health risks including hunger, malnutrition, and disease outbreaks.
Key Takeaways
AIThe World Health Organization and the World Meteorological Organization have warned of escalating health risks linked to the accelerating El Niño phenomenon, which is expected to peak by the end of 2026 amid record global temperatures.
In a joint briefing, the organizations explained that El Niño’s impacts go beyond rising temperatures, also causing floods and droughts, worsening food and water insecurity, malnutrition, and increasing cholera cases.
They also noted a likely rise in mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue, chikungunya, Zika, and yellow fever, due to climate changes associated with the phenomenon.
Rising risks in vulnerable regions
The World Health Organization warned that the most severe impacts will be felt in areas where climate shocks coincide with weak health systems, humanitarian crises, or food insecurity, noting that over 150 million people worldwide already face acute food insecurity.
The organization also cautioned that changing temperatures and rainfall patterns could spread mosquito-borne diseases to new areas, including high-altitude regions that have not traditionally seen such illnesses.
Calls for preparedness and early warning
The two organizations urged countries to strengthen disease surveillance, boost rapid response capacities, and pre-position medical supplies in the most at-risk areas. They stressed that climate forecasts offer a chance for proactive action before risks escalate into crises, emphasizing the need to invest in early warning systems and climate services tailored to the health sector to protect lives and health services.