The number of mosquitoes has plunged amid a prolonged drought in the nation.
 
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention measured the density of culex pipiens, the mosquito species known as a vector for Japanese encephalitis, between May 14th and 20th. The agency found an average of 22 mosquitoes in each of the ten locations it had collected the insects from, 148 less compared to the same period last year.
 
The latest figure is significantly smaller than the 156 mosquitoes collected on average during the same period over the past five years. 
 
The agency said it believes that the number of mosquitoes plunged as a large number of puddles, where the blood-feeding insects breed, have disappeared due to a prolonged dry spell. 
 
However, it has been assessed that mosquitoes appeared earlier than previous years due to relatively high temperatures for spring season.