Tarrant County Public Health has recommended that the City of Southlake activate our Mosquito Response Plan after receiving news of a suspected case of a mosquito-borne disease in a Southlake resident, in addition to finding an abundance of mosquitoes that transmit this virus.
“We were informed that a Southlake resident has traveled to a country that has active cases of Zika, Dengue, and Chikungunya, and we have been working with Tarrant County Public Health to determine the best course of action,” said Environmental Coordinator Christi Upton.
In accordance with the City’s Mosquito Response Plan, the City intends to spray within a 200-meter radius of the affected areas in the southern part of the City. Per the Federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and to protect the privacy of our residents, Southlake is unable to provide any additional details on the location.
Different mosquito species carry different diseases and have different characteristics. The mosquito that carries the Zika and Chikungunya viruses has a short flight range and is typically a day-biter. Because of the mosquito’s short flight range, the City will perform targeted spraying in the immediate vicinity of the suspected case.
How you can Protect Yourself
Personal protection is the first defense in protecting against the spread of all mosquito borne viruses. The community is encouraged to take action to prevent mosquito bites in the following ways:
Additional Information and Questions
For questions about the Zika virus, please call the Tarrant County Public Health Zika hotline at 817-248-6299.
For more information on what Southlake is doing in the area of mosquito surveillance and control, please visit our dedicated mosquito response pages at: CityofSouthlake.com/MosquitoResponse