The prize for biggest health risk in Hungary goes to…

According to napi.hu, the main statement of the study analysing the health effects of climate change in Hungary is that the occurrence of extreme temperature poses the most significant risk.

The findings of the study are based on climate-health examinations that have been conducted since 2000. The heatwaves have the greatest effect on the elderly, children and people suffering from chronic circulatory, metabolic, respiratory and mental diseases.

The negative effect of heatwaves was noticed in 2003 when the consistently high temperatures led to the death of 70 thousand people in Western Europe. During the period of a heatwave, the daily mortality rate increases by 15% in Hungary, for instance.

The rate generally varies between 9 and 20 percent, and it is the highest in the Central Hungarian region, Budapest and Veszprém County.

The publication also deals with the further effects of climate change. Among others, it mentions how it influences the spatial and temporal occurrence of contagious diseases spread by animal mediators (insects, rodents).

Hungary is mostly affected by the potential rise of the Lyme disease and different diseases spread by mosquitos.

The study attracts attention to the fact that due to the growing temperature food infections and poisoning of microbial origin can become more frequent. Mouldering is considered to be an outstanding risk in the case of cereal, oilseed and dried fruit products.