A new study finds climate events such as flooding, heat waves and drought worsen more than half of the known diseases that infect people.These diseases include malaria, cholera and anthrax.Researchers examined medical literature of established cases of such diseases.They found out that 218 out of the known 375 human infectious diseases, or 58 percent, seemed to be made worse by extreme weather connected to climate change.The results appeared this week in the publication Nature Climate Change.The study connected more than 1000 pathways from climate events to sick people.In some cases, heavy rains and flooding sicken people through disease-carrying mosquitos, rats and deer.Other events, like warming oceans and heat waves, spoil seafood and droughts bring bats carrying viral infections to people.Medical doctors, going back to the days of ancient Greek civilization, have long connected disease to weather.
