Health

Impacts to Water Sector and Health

The other extremities of longer dry season also placed the Philippines in a "high" degree of water shortage in the year 2040 as projected by the World Resources Institute (WRI) while another scenario show that a longer dry spell to complement water stress by 2020 and 2050 as estimated under Special Report on Emissions Scenarios (SRES) scenarios. 

There are evidences of potential damage to human health due to climate-induced viruses such as “Zika” virus. Climatic changes also serve as a “breeding ground” for vector-borne diseases. Zika is reported to be exacerbated by longer warmer seasons. The Department of Health reports that there are now 57 cases of the Zika virus in the Philippines, as of February 2017. Other related incidences of diseases and illnesses are also brought about by insect-and rodent-borne diseases (dengue, leptospirosis, and malaria); water-borne diseases (schistosomiasis, cholera); food-borne diseases (diarrheal diseases and typhoid); respiratory diseases (asthma, bronchitis, and respiratory allergies and infections); and heat-related illnesses (sunstroke, sunburn, heat stress or exhaustion, dehydration.