World Mosquito Day
Today is World Mosquito Day, the day we pay extra attention worldwide to the major consequences of mosquito bites. Did you know, for example, that the mosquito is the deadliest animal on earth? Mosquitoes can transmit tropical diseases, such as malaria, yellow fever, dengue, zika or West Nile virus.
Ronald Ross
On 20 August 1897, the British doctor Ronald Ross discovered that female mosquitoes are responsible for transmitting malaria. His discovery laid the foundation for a broad understanding of the deadly role that mosquitoes play in spreading various diseases. Since then, this day has been designated World Mosquito Day and aims to raise awareness about the risks of a mosquito bite and how it can be prevented, as well as fundraising for research into the cure of malaria.
In the World Mosquito Day podcast, Arnoud Aalbersberg (Chief Mosquito Officer at Care Plus®) and Bart Knols (mosquito biologist) discuss some urgent and interesting topics such as the eradication of malaria and the increasing risk of the growing population of tiger mosquitoes in Europe.
Buy One, Give One
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), malaria causes an estimated 228 million deaths and 405,000 deaths annually. Many of these victims are children under the age of 5. At Care Plus®, we have been working for years to achieve a malaria-free world by 2030. With our Buy One, Give One programme, by buying every Care Plus® product you contribute to our fight against malaria. We invest 1% of our turnover in this fight. We do this by distributing mosquito nets to families in malaria risk areas, supporting applicable scientific research and facilitating news to malaria professionals worldwide. With this programme and the help of our partners, we are well on our way to achieving our goal. Did you know that by 2020 we will have protected 13,200 people from this dangerous mosquito, including 6,600 children?
Tips to reduce the chance of a mosquito bite
Apart from transmitting dangerous diseases, mosquitoes also cause itchy red bumps and can seriously disturb your sleep. Fortunately, there are preventive measures you can take to reduce the chance of a mosquito bite:
- Check for stagnant water in and around the house. Females like to lay their eggs here and the larvae grow to maturity here until they become mosquitoes.
- Place insect screens in front of windows and doors and keep doors closed as much as possible.
- Sleep under a(n) (impregnated) mosquito net, both at home and when travelling.
- Wear light-coloured, airy and skin-covering clothing with long sleeves and legs.
- Lubricate the uncovered skin with Care Plus® Anti-Insect based on DEET, Icaridin or Citriodiol®.
Have you nevertheless been bitten by a mosquito or other insect? Our Care Plus® Insect SOS Gel has a soothing, cooling and calming effect when used after an insect bite or sting.
