Every year since 1930, August 20 has been commemorated as World Mosquito Day. British physician Sir Ronald Ross discovered the cause of malaria. He was later awarded the Nobel Prize for medical research. In his honor, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine began to commemorate the day.
The devastating impact of mosquitoes in endemic countries is staggering – deaths, economic loss, and ever evolving mosquitoes who appear to defy the efforts in place to control and/or eradicate them. While they are minuscule in size, their impact globally is among the deadliest. Global warming has caused mosquito habitats to expand to countries where they had previously not had a mosquito burden.
Public awareness, education around removal of things like stagnant water, properly using the tools that we at @Ram-Global provide, all increase the likelihood of protection and safety. However, on the ground efforts, scientific advances and financial support must be increased if we are to stay ahead of the “game”. Sir Ronald Ross might not have understood that climate change or an individual traveler could cause increased transmission, but he would have recognized the basic and ongoing seriousness of the challenge.
The threat of mosquitoes and all that they bring to negatively impact the well-being of humans is increasing. We have new tools, but it always seems that these minuscule creatures are several steps ahead of us. With World Mosquito Day approaching, we must all recommit to the battle. We are well informed, have the resources but the ever morphing mosquito is small and the stakes are huge.