The Bill Gates Corporation, Backed by Bill Gates, Releases Thousands of Genetically Modified Mosquitoes
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T. Meeks,
Aviation Analysis,
2021.
British company Oxitec has launched transgenic mosquitoes in the Florida Keys, in the United States, to study how to control their reproduction and thus limit the spread of chronic diseases transmitted by insects such as dengue fever and the Zika virus. The company, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, announced the placement of its confined release funds, non-release funds, and quality control funds this week in six locations: two in Cudjoe Key, one in Ramrod Key, and three in Vaca Key. Why is the Oxitec mosquito different? According to the company, the males in its insect cloud carry a modified gene called OX5034, which restricts the survival of the females they mate with. As of early next month, fewer than 12,000 mosquitoes are expected to appear per week for about 12 weeks. Untreated comparison sites will be controlled with mosquito traps at Key Colony Beach, Little Torch Key, and Summerland Key. “We started looking at this a decade ago because we were in the middle of an outbreak of dengue fever in the Florida Keys,” Andrea Lyell, executive director of the Florida Keys area for mosquito control, said during a videoconference. “So we are very excited to further this partnership, and work with both Oxitec and members of the community.” Last year the Keys authorities approved the pilot project with mosquitoes Aedes aegyptiShe is not a Florida native. This insect transmits many diseases to humans, especially in the Keys island chain, where dozens of dengue cases were recorded last year. More related to this: Bill Gates-backed startup releases millions of genetically modified mosquitoes Florida Keys plans killer insect attack on disease-carrying mosquitoes Release of genetically modified mosquitoes in the Florida Keys put on hold
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