Beijing: The first World Pest Day was launched here in China on Tuesday, aimed at eventual reduction and elimination of pest-borne diseases.
The inaugural World Pest Day, initiated by the Chinese Pest Control Association (CPCA), proposed to increase awareness of pest-borne diseases and safeguard public health through scientific and professional pest control methods.
More than 30 national and international organisations signed to support the initiative, Xinhua news agency reported.
CPCA President Xu Jianguo said the launch of World Pest Day came at the right time as the number of mosquito, tick, and rodent-borne diseases, such as Zika virus, yellow fever, dengue fever and malaria, were on the rise.
The severity of these diseases has increased due to a rapidly warming planet, accelerating urbanisation and booming trade and tourism, according to Xu.
Statistics from the World Health Organization show that more than one billion people worldwide were exposed to vector-borne diseases, and every year one million people lose their lives as a result.
The economic costs of these diseases amount to more than 17 per cent of the total costs of infectious diseases.