Rare cases of mosquito-borne malaria in Florida and Texas have several people speculating that Bill Gates-funded genetically modified mosquitoes are the culprits.
The Centers for Disease Control identified five cases of mosquito-borne malaria in the United States, four in Florida, and one in Texas. The Florida Department of Health issued a statewide illness alert in response urging residents to “take precautions by applying bug spray, avoiding areas with high mosquito populations, and wearing long pants and shirts when possible — especially during sunrise and sunset when mosquitos are most active.”
“About 2,000 cases of malaria are logged in the U.S. each year, according to the [CDC]. The last time mosquito-borne malaria occurred in the U.S. was in 2008, when eight cases were identified in Palm Beach County, Fla.”
-NPR
In 2020, 750 million genetically modified mosquitoes were approved for release in Florida. The company behind the technology meant to reduce mosquito-borne illness is Oxitec, a U.S.-owned company that received $4 million to create the genetically modified organism (GMO).
Prior to the release of the modified mosquitoes Jaydee Hanson, the policy director for the International Center for Technology Assessment and Center for Food Safety, called the project a “Jurassic Park experiment,” condemning Floridian officials for approving it “against the objections” of residents.
“Now the Monroe County Mosquito Control District has given the final permission needed [to release the genetically modified mosquitoes],” she said. “What could possibly go wrong? We don’t know, because EPA unlawfully refused to seriously analyze environmental risks, now without further review of the risks, the experiment can proceed.”
The modified insects were also approved for release in Harris County, Texas in 2021, according to Oxitec. Coincidentally, Florida and Texas are now experiencing the “first local spread in the country in 20 years,” according to NRP. This has caused several people to assume the release caused the outbreak, however, Oxitec has assured the public that the gene-modified mosquitoes are incapable of spreading disease because they are male, and only female mosquitoes bite, thus spreading illness.