Bill Gates: Mosquito-born diseases 'haven't taken a break during this pandemic' - CNET

Shark Week may have just ended on the Discovery Channel, but Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates wants to remind the world that a very small creature is much deadlier than even the biggest shark. Gates declared this week "Mosquito Week" on his GatesNotes blog on Monday, highlighting a number of mosquito-related videos and articles. Every night, the tiny biting insects infect millions of people with malaria, a disease that kills a child every other minute, Gates wrote.

"Mosquitoes don't practice social distancing. They don't wear masks, either," Gates wrote. "As COVID-19 spreads across the globe, it's important to remember that the world's deadliest animal hasn't taken a break during this pandemic."

Most malaria deaths occur in the world's poorest countries, Gates says in a new video. The billionaire has spoken out on why he fears mosquitoes more than sharks before, but notes that the pandemic could severely disrupt malaria prevention and treatment, meaning deaths could skyrocket to levels not seen in decades.

Malaria has long been a top priority of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which has a multi-year strategy aimed at eradicating the deadly disease.

Gates' Mosquito Week may not feature Shark Week-style headline-making events such as Mike Tyson fighting a shark, but it does include videos -- including a haunting one featuring a cloud of mosquitoes taking the form of the Grim Reaper -- and numerous articles detailing the challenges and triumphs of the malaria fight.

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