Local malaria cases in U.S., first in 20 years
UNITED STATES (WDEF) — For the first time in 20 years, people in the U.S. have caught malaria without leaving the country.
Malaria is a potentially serious disease spread by mosquitoes.
On Monday, June 26, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a health alert to inform the public of these cases.
Health departments in Sarasota County, Florida reported four cases of malaria. Additionally, a health department in Cameron County reported one case of malaria.
The last time a locally acquired case of malaria took place in the U.S. was 2003 in Palm Beach, Florida.
The Florida Department of Health, as a result, issued a state-wide advisory for mosquito-borne illnesses this week. But they also reported those Floridians have since recovered. The Texas Health and Human Services implemented a health advisory as well.
However, the CDC says the risk of getting malaria in the U.S. is still low.
A company funded by Bill Gates, Oxitec, has released millions of mosquitos into the U.S. since 2021. The Florida Keys Mosquito Control-Oxitec Mosquito Project began that April. The Gates Foundation also funds similar projects in other parts of the world, such as Africa.
USA Today reported that these genetically modified mosquitoes received EPA approval for release in both Florida and Texas. Oxitec adds their approval for use in California as well.
According to various sources (CNET, Berkely, Labiotech, Business Insider, India Times, etc.), Oxitec teamed up with the Gates Foundation to produce and release mosquitoes that fight against malaria and other diseases.
As Oxitec explained, they release genetically altered “Friendly” male mosquitoes, which cannot bite, into the wild. These mosquitoes are supposed to mate with wild female mosquitoes, producing offspring that will not survive. The companies say their goal is to stop the spread of diseases, like malaria and dengue, through mosquitoes.
Many other countries face intense malaria problems. “Most cases and deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa,” according to the World Health Organization. Yet, for 20 years, the U.S. did not have a major problem with this disease.
Oxitec expects to release up to 3 million mosquitoes in Florida in 2023. This is after they previously released 2 million in 2022. In 2021, they released around 150,000.
However, Oxitec’s website claims the mosquitoes they are releasing are the Aedes aegypti.
Oxitec’s Friendly mosquitoes cannot spread malaria, since they are all male. But it is unclear whether the female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes can spread malaria. This is unclear because many reports from the time of their release stated that these female mosquitoes did spread malaria, which is contradictory to Oxitec’s website.
