INTERVIEW: This killer causes a million deaths - and gets a special day?

SBS News In Depth

Wednesday August 20th is World Mosquito Day - and it may seem strange to set aside a day for an insect which accounts for around a million deaths a year. Nearly 700 million people contract mosquito-borne illnesses every year. The mosquitoes act as vectors, carrying bacteria, viruses, and parasites that cause illness in humans. Malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever, Zika virus, West Nile virus, and Japanese encephalitis are some of the most prominent diseases spread by mosquitoes. Things have improved, however - according to one survey, nearly half the world population was at significant risk from malaria in the 19th century with a 10% mortality among those infected. Today, it's feared global warming could potentially lead to a wider spread of mosquito-borne diseases due to increased mosquito populations and geographic range. Professor Beth McGraw is the head of biology at Penn State University in the US - she admits having a special day for such a killer seems odd at first glance.