Fiocruz researcher explains alert about the risk of chikungunya outbreaks in Portugal and southern Europe
A British study published in the scientific journal The Royal Society has raised an alert for Portugal: the country is part of a geographical area conducive to chikungunya outbreaks, a viral disease transmitted by the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. The study points to rising average temperatures in southern Europe, which includes Portugal, Spain, Greece, and Italy, as a factor favouring the proliferation of mosquitoes. Rivaldo Venâncio, a researcher and infectious disease specialist at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, explains the relationship between heat and increased rainfall with the reproductive cycle of the vectors. Since 2025, Fiocruz has established a base in Lisbon and has intensified partnerships with Portuguese scientific institutions. The Radar DN Brasil airs every Friday at 8 am on DN Brasil's YouTube and Spotify channels, providing a weekly summary and everything of interest to Brazilians in Portugal. DN Brasil is a section of Diário de Notícias dedicated to the Brazilian community living or intending to live in Portugal. The texts are written in Brazilian Portuguese.
