World Mosquito Day, which is observed every year on August 20, marks the British physician Sir Ronald Ross’s identification in 1897 that female anopheline mosquitoes are responsible for transmitting malaria among humans.
India is a hotspot for many kinds of mosquito-borne illnesses because of its diversified climate and geography. Nearly 40 million people in India get infected with diseases spread by mosquitoes each year. Some of the most common mosquito-borne diseases include malaria, dengue, chikungunya, and zika virus.
In India, Malaria is still one of the most common illnesses transmitted by mosquitoes. It places a significant impact on India’s healthcare system. The nation makes for 1.7 percent of all malaria cases and 1.2 percent of all malaria-related fatalities worldwide. There were more than 45,000 recorded cases of malaria in India in 2022.
Another significant disease in India is dengue which is caused by the bite of the Aedes mosquito. High temperature, excruciating headaches, joint and muscular discomfort, and a rash that may resemble measles are just a few of its symptoms. According to government statistics made public in 2022, India reported 193,245 cases of dengue in 2021, resulting in 346 fatalities.
Chikungunya, which is spread by the Aedes mosquito, has symptoms that are similar to dengue such as fever and joint discomfort. Although chikungunya seldom results in death, the discomfort it causes cannot be ignored.
The Zika virus, which is also spread by the Aedes mosquito, has sparked worry because of its possible impact on pregnant women as zika infection can cause birth abnormalities in the unborn child. Fever, rash, joint discomfort, and conjunctivitis are among the symptoms.
Given the serious health risks that mosquito-borne diseases tend to pose, it is critical to implement certain preventive measures, some of which are listed below:
