Ever wondered how yellow fever and mosquitoes started? The history of
mosquitoes of course includes yellow fever, stagnant water and unfortunate
circumstances. But the history of mosquitoes is something that started in Africa and
eventually made its way and flourished right here in the Caribbean.
Mosquitoes have been feared since the time of Columbus discovering the New
World, but it was once so deadly upon entering the western hemisphere, churches,
stores and entire cities were closed down and refused the entrance of outsiders,
particularly in the US and USVI. Drastic quarantines were set to stop the spread of
the fever and its symptoms: fever, headache, muscle aches, dizziness, nausea,
vomiting and more. Only later once more science was gathered, did people realize
this disease was passed from mosquito to human.
If one contracted yellow fever, reaching the toxic phase, within about 7-10 days one
could die. The severe pain, speed of infection and mortality rate were so fatal, entire
ships, no matter how important their cargo, were denied. Such extreme cases
occurred in places like Norfolk and Gosport, VA in 1855 via passengers of the ship,
Ben Franklin, from St. Thomas in the Caribbean.
This tropical viral disease has simple origins but became complex and spread like
wildfire with the perfect disease-spreading circumstances. Although mosquitoes
have a life expectancy of about 30 days and only travel within about a football field’s
distance of their birth place/colony, a single female can produce 10 batches of eggs
in her lifetime, thus infecting dozens animals and humans within that time.
Yellow fever originated in Africa, the cause commencing with monkeys having an
illness that was then able to be transferred to a mosquito at a certain time in their
life cycle, then being transferred to humans. The earliest case recorded in the mid-
17 th century and the cases following had a tendency to be catastrophic with the
power to wipe out tens of people a day and more in a single community.
When yellow fever made its way to the western hemisphere, populations of
mosquitoes absolutely thrived in areas with little to no running water and flocked to
stagnant holes in the ground created to save rainwater.
Only in 1951 was a vaccine created and still to this day, we struggle with yellow
fever outbursts all over the world. We still see cases of West Nile virus, yellow fever,
zika virus and more, and the fact that they are still out there and cannot be ignored
requires precautions.
Here at Mosquito Magnet, we care about you, our community,
those who visit the Caribbean and everyone’s safety. That’s why we’re here with an
option that’s simple, worry free, and guarantees results with the most effective eco-
friendly way to tackle your mosquito problems.
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