Broward County Mosquito Control workers prepared to continue fighting Zika virus

'Zika is not gone,' director says

POMPANO BEACH, Fla. – Mosquito Control workers learned the ropes Tuesday when it comes to accessing private property when homeowners aren't at home.

"Definitely folks should be concerned. Zika is not gone," Broward County Mosquito Control Director Anh Ton said.

With mosquito season around the corner, the county trained an additional 40 employees to do mosquito control.

"The fact is, Zika's here now," Ton said.

While the fight will be more aggressive, the chemical used in Broward County will be the same BTI, aimed at killing mosquito larva by ground and air. 

The use of BTI is seen as less harsh than that of Naled, used in Miami-Dade County last year when Zika transmission was at its peak.

"The product will spray up into the air, drift down into this container, and then it will kill the larvae before they can hatch and become a mosquito," Ton said.

Broward County also is also set to place upwards of 10,000 traps across the area to monitor and kill adult mosquitoes.   

Mosquito Control expects residents to do their part, including by allowing access to their property to spray for mosquitoes.

"Code enforcement or the Department of Health has the right to give us entrance into the property," Ton said. "But us, as Mosquito Control -- we don't do that without people's permission."

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