The City of Dallas plans to begin its annual Mosquito Abatement Program a month ahead of schedule in 2016, due largely to the emergence of the Zika virus.
The City of Dallas plans to begin its annual Mosquito Abatement Program a month ahead of schedule in 2016, due largely to the emergence of the Zika virus.
Members of the Dallas City Council Quality of Life and Environmental Committee heard a proposal Monday morning from Assistant City Manager Joey Zapata to begin the city’s public education campaign on March 1.
The public education campaign involves radio advertisements aimed at encouraging people to adhere to the "Four D's":
- Wear DEET
- Dress in long sleeves and pants
- Avoid activities at Dawn and Dusk
- Drain standing water
City officials will also mail out a flyer reminding residents of the "Four D's" when it comes to protecting themselves.
As for fighting mosquitos this season, experts say the battle begins at home.
"Everybody always wants to ask, what can the county do, what can the federal government do, really it’s what can the citizens do?" said Zachary Thompson, director of Dallas County Health and Human Services.
And that is why the city of Dallas is launching its public health education campaign a month ahead of schedule.
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"We’re starting in March with our radio spots as well as Dallas City residents will receive a flyer in their March water utility bill," said Assistant Director of Code Compliance Janette Weedon.
Erin Plaisance, with Municipal Mosquito, said her company is working closely with local municipalities across North Texas to make sure cities and counties work together in the battle against mosquitos this season.
"It’s extremely important that we all work together. We all need to be on the same page. If one city is doing one thing and the neighboring city isn’t doing their part, it’s still going back and forth where we are defeating the purpose of the common goal. We need to be on the same page with this," said Plaisance.
The Zika virus, spread primarily through infected mosquitoes, has been deemed a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the World Health Organization.
Zika outbreaks have been reported in several countries, many of which are in South and Central America, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
To date, no local mosquito-borne Zika virus disease cases have been reported in the United States, but there have been travel-associated cases, according to the CDC, meaning that people have traveled to areas where Zika is known to be, become infected and then returned to the U.S.
In addition, a Dallas County case of Zika has been linked to unprotected sexual contact involving a person infected with the virus.
