Why the Mosquito Is #1

One insect causes more human deaths than every predator combined — through disease it carries, not its bite.

The top 3

  1. Malaria: ~600,000 deaths a year: WHO estimated about 608,000 malaria deaths in 2022, roughly 95% in Africa and mostly children under five.
  2. Dengue's record-breaking surge: 2023-2024 were the worst dengue years ever recorded, with over 6.5 million reported cases as the mosquito's range keeps expanding.
  3. 725,000+: the deadliest-animal total: Adding malaria, dengue, yellow fever, Zika and more, mosquito-borne disease kills an estimated 725,000+ people yearly — no other animal is close.

Sources

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