Dengue infections and deaths increase when temperatures go above 27 degrees Celsius and rainfall is moderate and spread out over a period, according to a new study.
The study also reveals very heavy rainfall (more than 150 mm in a week) can wash away mosquito eggs and larvae, lowering the risk of dengue.
Researchers Sophia Yacob and Roxy Mathew Koll from the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, examined how temperature, rainfall, and humidity affect dengue in Pune, a major hotspot of the disease.
They found that dengue infections and deaths increase when temperatures go above 27 degrees Celsius, rainfall is moderate and spread out over time and humidity is between 60 and 78 per cent during monsoon (June–September).
The scientists created a model using artificial intelligence and machine learning that…