Incidence of pests and diseases may increase with climate
variability and climate change. With long dry spells and
more intense rainfall, the resulting decline in water quality
will lead to greater risk of water-born diseases. Changing
temperatures and rainfall in drought-prone areas are
likely to shift populations of insect pests and other vectors
and change the incidence of existing vector-borne diseases
in both humans and crops. The physical and social
disruptions caused by these diseases and extreme events
such as droughts may affect the community. Under high
temperature and humidity, there will be problems of
dehydration, especially affecting the elderly and children.
A temperature increase of 1-2°C would perhaps not cause
significant change, but high intensity of extremes might
intensify heat stress and associated health hazards.