Rising levels of vector-borne disease cases, namely from mosquitoes and ticks, have shown the United States is underprepared in combating the insects and controlling the spread of their diseases, according to CNN.
Viruses and bacteria carried by insects have tripled from 2004 to 2016, according to a CDC report in May.
"Mosquitoes, ticks, fleas can all carry very serious diseases that are life-threatening," Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health professor Dr. Irwin Redlener told CNN.
"We're, simply put, not ready, and we should be."
The National Association of County and City Health Officials reported 84 percent of programs to control these cases need improvement, including more funding, proper surveillance, controls, or prevention.
"We have to wonder why the president and the administration [are] not taking this issue more seriously," Redlener claimed.
The increase in vector-borne cases has been reported tied to climate change, which the White House declined to attributed it to.
A White House statement said President Donald Trump takes the diseases seriously and has requested more than $49 million to address them next year, an $11 million increase over 2018, according to CNN.
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