Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino announced on Thursday a series of initiatives to combat the potential threat of Zika virus in the area, including passing out larva-eating fish to residents.
“There have been no locally acquired cases of Zika in Westchester. Nevertheless, I want to assure you that Westchester County is working diligently to address Zika. The County’s action plan includes education, surveillance and mosquito control,” he said.
Astorino, joined by the county’s health commissioner, spoke at a playground in Valhalla Thursday afternoon to announce the plan.
The county will give residents minnows that can eat mosquito larva for backyard ponds; apply larvacide to basins and county roads; double the number of mosquito trap sites; and target specific areas for ground spraying, if Zika is found in the county.
On Thursday, county health department workers were out and about, spraying spots with stagnant water with larvacide. As many as 45,000 catch basins were treated across the county.
"Thst disrupts the growth cycle of the mosquito," said John Ruggiero of the Westchester Health Department.
Westchester Health Department officials were also advising residents to do things around their house to keep mosquito populations at bay. They said to clear out storm drains, make sure to avoid letting items like kayaks or buckets fill with water and to treat bird baths with "mosquito dunks," which keep mosquitos away but dont' harm birds.
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Any resident who would like mosquito repellent or dunks can visit westchestergov.com.
The county asks residents to report standing water at abandoned pools and other places to the health department at (914) 813-5000.
