Millions of Gentically Modified Mosquitoes Set for Release in Florida

Floridians are already fighting to get Zika — and Zika-infected mosquitoes — out of the Florida, but now their efforts are being adulterated by a group of scientists who are looking to conduct an experiment in the Sunshine State.

On November 19, the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District board voted to approve a trial of genetically modified (GM) mosquitoes designed to fight the Zika virus in the Keys.

The district has been working with British biotech company Oxitec for the last 5 years to get federal approval for a trial release of the genetically engineered male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes into the wild. When they mate with female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, their offspring die.

The proposed trial had been mired in controversy, as many locals were concerned – and still are – about the many questions that remain unanswered about the altered mosquitoes, such as how being bitten by one of the insects might affect a person. [2]

Oxitec’s tries to release only male mosquitoes, which don’t bite, but it’s estimated that a small number of females do get released. The company claims that even if someone were to be bitten by a female, it wouldn’t matter because the altered genes aren’t in the mosquitoes’ saliva.

There have been more than 200 local cases of the Zika virus throughout Florida, though none of those cases were reported in the Keys. [1]

One of the concerned Keys residents is Megan Hall, who appealed to the district board on Saturday before the vote:

“I am going to ask you, beg you, plead with you not to go forward with this.”
The district voted 3-2 to move forward with the trial anyway.

So is the government this inept, or are they simply too big to change direction once something gets set in motion? Either way, Floridians are set to see their troubles with mosquitoes and Zika increase very shortly.

Source: Natural Society