A mosquito is more than just an annoying pest. It’s also one of the world’s most deadly animals. As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) puts it, “Spreading diseases such as malaria, dengue, West Nile, yellow fever, Zika, chikungunya, and lymphatic filariasis, the mosquito kills more people than any other creature in the world.”

February is American Heart Month, an ideal opportunity to shine a light on heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one person dies every 34 seconds in the U.S. from cardiovascular disease. Nearly 700,000 people in the U.S. died from heart disease in 2020. Heart disease also has a massive economic impact, costing the U.S. about $229 billion each year from 2017 to 2018. This includes the cost of health care services, medicines and lost productivity.

What should I look for if I or someone in my family visited Wuhan recently? If you or someone in your family has visited the area recently and you started feel sick with respiratory symptoms like fever, cough, or difficulty breathing within 14 days after you returned, contact your health care provider so you can seek medical care. Call your doctor’s office, urgent care, or emergency department before you to so they can make preparations for your arrival and take the necessary precautions to get you tested and to prevent others from being exposed.