California and Florida may see the release of millions of non biting mosquitoes, an initiative by goggle health projects.
While the global technology company awaits federal approval to release about 32 million scientifically treated mosquitoes both in California and Florida set to be in use for the next two years. Efforts attempt to fight illnesses such as West Nile virus, dengue fever, Zika, chikungunya, yellow fever, and St. Louis encephalitis.
However, the initiative is presently being accessed by the US Environmental Protection Agency, which has been accepting public comments before deciding whether to authorize a test program.
Notably, the male mosquitoes which will be released do not bite humans, Rather, it will treat the naturally occurring bacterium called Wolbachia. With the intention to breed with wild females, producing non-viable eggs, causing offspring not to develop then slowly suppressing mosquito numbers, decreasing the mosquito population over time.
Similar releases have previously taken place in California, including trials in Fresno, where researchers used the same approach to suppress populations of the invasive Aedes aegypti mosquito.
By Musekir Faisat Omolara
