Did you know that World Mosquito Day is observed annually on August 20th to celebrate Sir Ronald Ross’s discovery of how the malaria parasite (Plasmodium) is transmitted from female Anopheles mosquitos to humans? According to the CDC, in 2020 alone, there were about 241 million malaria cases worldwide, of which 627,000 people died. While malaria is common in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, there were seven cases of malaria found in Florida this year. In the United States, West Nile Virus is the leading cause of mosquito-borne diseases, and it is spread from a bite of an infected Culex mosquito. To prevent mosquito diseases, the CDC recommends using insect repellent when outside, wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants, and treating clothing and gear with insect repellent. For your home, use screens on windows and doors and stop mosquitoes from laying eggs in or near water by emptying containers with water.

CDC Sources
Malaria: https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/malaria/index.html

Florida malaria: https://www.cdc.gov/malaria/new_info/2023/malaria_florida.html

West Nile Virus: https://www.cdc.gov/westnile/index.html

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