Anopheles mosquito spreads malaria, while the Culex mosquito causes elephantiasis (lymphatic filariasis) and Japanese encephalitis.
Additionally, chikungunya, also known as elephant flu, affects more than 60 countries across Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas through Aedes mosquito bites. Among these diseases, dengue haemorrhagic fever is particularly dangerous. Approximately 96 million people in 129 countries suffer from DHF annually, with around 40,000 fatalities each year. The Anopheles mosquito holds the Guinness World Record for the highest fatality rate due to its role in spreading malaria. According to a 2022 Nature journal publication, malaria has historically killed half of the world’s population.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued warnings about the potential for malaria outbreaks affecting half of the world’s population. In 2021, 247 million people suffered from malaria, resulting in 619,000 deaths. Africa is notably prone to malaria, and WHO predicts that global warming and climate change may expand malaria-prone areas, potentially increasing the disease’s fatality rate between 2030 and 2050.
Global efforts to control mosquito populations are crucial in reducing the incidence of these diseases. Public health initiatives focus on eliminating mosquito breeding grounds, promoting the use of mosquito nets and repellents, and implementing vaccination programmes where available. Collaborative efforts between governments, health organizations, and communities are essential to combat the spread of mosquito-borne diseases effectively.
In fact, mosquito-borne diseases pose a severe threat to global health, with significant mortality rates attributed to dengue hemorrhagic fever and malaria. Preventative measures and control strategies are vital in mitigating the impact of these diseases and protecting populations worldwide.
Currently, malaria resurges as a critical health problem all over the world, including Southeast Asian countries as well as Myanmar. Climate change, the increasing number of travellers, counterfeit medicines, low-quality medicines, and habitual change of Anopheles mosquito play a crucial role in the resurgence of malaria disease. Whatever it may be, everybody needs to strictly follow health guidelines issued by relevant health organizations and authorities so as to control infection of diseases through mosquito bites as well as outbreaks of other diseases and carefully clean the vicinities of public residential places.
