Denton Sprays for Mosquitoes Near Zika Patient's Home
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DENTON (CBSDFW.COM) - The City of Denton targeted the yards of 22 homes to spray where mosquitoes could breed after a resident returned from Puerto Rico with the Zika virus.
"I was worried and kind of shocked because I hadn't heard much about Zika being in Texas at all, let alone Denton, Texas... let alone in my neighborhood and on my street," said Meredith Chapman, who lives on Buena Vista Drive. But Chapman said she's more at ease now that her yard was treated.
Firefighters went door-to-door Friday informing people about their neighbor who has the virus. They also asked for permission for the city to spray their property for mosquitoes.
"I wanted them to spray my bushes to protect my dog and my roommates," Chapman said.
The mosquito that transmits Zika is different than mosquitoes carrying West Nile. They feed by day and do not travel very far. Unlike West Nile virus spraying events, which have trucks fogging the neighborhood from the street, Zika spraying requires an up-close approach.
"It's much more targeted, much more focused and much more of the ability to respond to very small site differences for these applications," said Denton's Environmental Services director Ken Banks.
The spraying has lead Chapman to feel a little more at ease about walking outside.
"I guess I really haven't been outside since I've heard that Zika was in the neighborhood."
Health experts said the targeted spraying is very safe. The city also used larvicide to prevent more mosquitoes from hatching.
The spraying is a precautionary move and no local transmission of the virus by mosquitoes has happened, according to health officials.
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