World Mosquito Day 2023: Date, Theme, Interesting Facts About Mosquitoes

Every year August 20 is observed all over the globe as World Mosquito Day. It commemorates the discovery made by British doctor Sir Ronald Ross that female anopheles mosquitoes transmit malaria between human. The discovery was made during Dr. Ross’ 25 years tenure in Indian Medical Service. For his discover, Ross won the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1902. The day also highlights the efforts of healthcare officials, NGOs, and others in fighting diseases caused by mosquitoes.

World Mosquito Day 2023 Date

Below mentioned are the upcoming dates for World Mosquito Day 2023 for the next 5 years.

EventDateDay
World Mosquito Day 2023August 20, 2023Sunday
World Mosquito Day 2024August 20, 2024Tuesday
World Mosquito Day 2025August 20, 2025Wednesday
World Mosquito Day 2026August 20, 2026Thursday
World Mosquito Day 2027August 20, 2027Friday

World Mosquito Day 2023 Overview

EventWorld Mosquito Day 2023
DateAugust 20, 2023
DaySunday
Observed byLondon School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
PurposeTo highlight the efforts of healthcare officials, NGOs, and others in fighting diseases caused by mosquitoes.
World Mosquito Day 2023 ThemeIt is yet to be disclosed.

Five Interesting Facts About Mosquitoes

Check out these interesting facts about mosquitoes on World Mosquito Day:

  1. Mosquitoes are responsible for more than one million deaths each year, more deaths caused by any other animal on earth.
  2. According to the World Health Organization, malaria alone leads to approximately 400,000 deaths annually.
  3. Malaria, yellow fever, zika, dengue, elephantiasis, etc are some deadliest disease caused by mosquitoes.
  4. More than 3,000 species of mosquito found on earth are harmless.
  5. Only female mosquitoes feed on humans and that too when they are breeding. They only feed on the blood for the protein.

Check: Important Days and dates in 2023

Discovery of Sir Ronald Ross

During the 19th century, death from malaria was a significant risk to the population with a mortality rate of about 10 per cent among the infected. Although the discovery of quinine for treatment had increased the chances infected patients of getting cured, the reason was still unknown. Dr. Ross Ronald, a British medical doctor posted in India, started conducting experiments with Culex drugs fed on birds infected with bird malaria Protesoma relictum in 1894.

He noted that the birds developed mosquito gut and concluded that the same may happen in malaria. His later work also confirmed that mosquitoes are the vector which carries this devastating parasite from human to human. Dr. Ross received the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1902 for his work, becoming the first British Nobel laureate, and the first born outside Europe.

Significance of World Mosquito Day

Even after years of medical development, mosquito-borne diseases are prevalent causing hundreds of thousands of deaths every year. The condition is more severe in African and Asian countries and there is a need to completely eliminate this threat from the face of the world.

The World Mosquito Day provides an opportunity to raise awareness of the situation and fight against it.

History

World Mosquito Day honors the date of the discovery made by Sir Ronald Ross. He proved that mosquitoes transmit malaria by identifying pigmented malaria parasites in mosquitoes that fed on an infected patient. To make the world aware of this discovery, Dr. Ross declared the observation of first World Mosquito Day right then and there. Since then, every year 20 August began to be celebrated as World Mosquito Day.

World Mosquito Day Celebration

Celebration of World Mosquito Day is carried out every year by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. The celebration includes events such as parties and exhibitions which go back to as early as the 1930s. You can take part in these events to learn more about mosquitoes, the disease they cause, their prevention and elimination.

Many charity events are also held to raise awareness and money to help communities with medication and treatment, for bed net distribution and vaccine research and other. You can donate to these organizations to help them fight mosquito-borne disease. Also, teach others about the threat caused by mosquito and how they can protect themselves against it.

FAQs

What is the theme for World Mosquito Day observation?

No theme has been decided yet for the celebration of World Mosquito Day 2023.

When is the next World Mosquito Day celebrated?

The next World Mosquito Day will be celebrated on Sunday, August 20, 2023.

Are World Mosquito Day and World Malaria Day same observation?

World Malaria Day is dedicated to prevention and elimination of malaria disease and is observed every year on April 25. World Mosquito Day is another observance celebrated on 20 August every year and commemorates Sir Ronald Ross’s discovery about mosquitoes transmitting malaria between humans.

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