Mosquito-Borne Diseases, Gaza’s Humanitarian Crisis, and Seaweed’s Renaissance

Editor's Note

Each year, mosquitoes infect roughly five hundred million people worldwide with malaria, dengue, Zika, yellow fever and chikungunya, killing nearly one million adults and children. With the warming climate, their range is expanding.

Michael Leedom, an emergency physician based in Baltimore, writes this week on how countries can confront the expanding range of "the world's deadliest animal" and its associated harms. He suggests the United States adopt a strategy of injecting mosquitoes with Wolbachia bacteria, which, when introduced in female mosquitoes, "crowds out other viruses," including some transmissible to humans, without harming humans, animals, or the environment.

Oloruntobi Dare, a public health researcher, writes on how wealthy nations now confronting the threat of malaria, should adopt the integrated vector management strategies pioneered in Rwanda, including mosquito nets and chemical repellents, to curb transmission in the United States.

We continue our coverage of the Israel-Hamas war with a slideshow depicting the humanitarian response, which has been slow to reach civilians. Some aid trucks began entering Gaza this week.

We wrap up the week with a piece by Ben Wolman, from the nonprofit Only One. He writes on how the seaweed industry could help change the tide at the difficult intersection of climate, health, and agriculture.

As always, thank you for reading.—Thomas J. Bollyky, Editor