By now, we all recognize that we will not be able to contain the novel coronavirus effectively until we have a strong public health infrastructure. Kaiser Health News reports that without that strong public health infrastructure, we also might not be able able to protect ourselves against deadly mosquitoes.
Sadly, our public health system is sorely lacking needed resources. It can’t meet the demand for assistance in keeping the novel coronavirus from spreading. And, local public health departments have few if any resources left this summer to help set mosquito traps or check out places where mosquitoes breed, such as irrigation ditches and plastic bins that hold standing water.
In the last 12 years, 38,000 public health jobs have been cut in the US. Local public health departments do not have needed resources. They lack staff and they lack money.
Around Columbus, Ohio, Washtenaw County, Michigan, Houston, Texas, and across Florida, the local health departments do not have enough staff to do standard testing of mosquitoes or chicken blood–since mosquitoes bite chickens–for deadly illnesses, like the West Nile virus. This is likely to be a serious problem. Outside the US, tens of thousands of people get sick from mosquito-borne illnesses every year.
As of now, far fewer people in the US die each year from mosquito-borne illnesses than have died from COVID-19. Around 200 people in the US die from mosquito-borne illnesses each year. The relatively low number of deadly mosquito-related deaths each year could easily be much higher this year because public health departments are not containing the spread of mosquitoes, testing them for deadly illnesses and killing them before they are able to infect Americans.
Mosquitoes kill more people than any other organism, including human beings. They are often such a deadly threat that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a policy brief underscoring the critical need for mosquito prevention and spraying even during the COVID-19 pandemic. Without preventive measures, deadly mosquito populations could have far-reaching impact.
Already, in the Florida keys, 14 people have contracted dengue, which can be dangerous. And, in Massachusetts, a mosquito carrying equine encephalitis was found. That mosquito kills one in three people it infects. And, mosquitoes carrying the West Nile virus have been found in 18 states. In nine states, so far, people have been infected by these dangerous mosquitoes. Symptoms include fever and body aches.
We can only hope that the COVID-19 crisis does not lead to a deadly mosquito crisis. To date, Congress has not appropriated funds to help public health departments ensure mosquitos do not spread disease. Without these funds, necessary containment projects will not happen.
Here’s more from Just Care:
- Coronavirus: For older adults, wearing gloves presents more risks than benefits
- Coronavirus: Face masks and face shields
- Sunlight might be the best disinfectant, but it also might increase the risk of glaucoma and cataracts
- How to keep aging skin as healthy as possible
- Seven tips for getting a good night’s sleep
Leave a Reply