OAKLAND PARK, FLA. (WSVN) - Crews and officials in Broward County are battling the Zika emergency by spraying and informing locals about the virus.
With Broward County located so close to the Wynwood neighborhood, crews are out in full force going door-to-door to spray pesticides, drain standing puddles on residents’ property, treat long standing puddles with chemicals and place mosquito traps around the area. “We’re obviously neighbors, and we’re very concerned about the possibility of people traveling down there and carrying the disease,” said Anh Ton with Broward Mosquito Control.
Crews said they are using new equipment, new personnel on their mosquito team and are using new chemicals in an effort to prevent the Zika spread.
One of the team members spoke to 7News about how they have prepared for the virus. “We’ve been practicing for this for months now. We work very closely with the health department. We’ve increased our staff significantly and reassigned them to mosquito control-related activities,” said Ton. “We bought new equipment, new chemicals, and we’re ready for it.”
Crews are going across the county visiting areas such as Pompano Beach and Fort Lauderdale. “Little things like mosquitoes, no one really thinks they’re harmful, but they actually are,” said one resident.
Officials said there has only been one case of Zika in Broward County and believe it was not picked up by a mosquito. “The Health Department has tested around this person, and there is not another case,” Ton said.
Officials are confident that their efforts will be successful. “Mosquito Control and the State Health Department have worked very closely together over the years. This is not our first go around with this type of mosquito,” Ton said.
If you need help with spraying around your property, you complete the Mosquito Spray Request Form online or by calling 954-765-4062.
To complete the form: www.broward.org/Streets/Mosquito/Pages/MosquitoSprayRequest.
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