Dallas County is planning an aggressive attack against the Zika virus if and when the virus is found to be spreading locally, transmitted by mosquitoes here in North Texas.
"Aerial spraying is going to be the most effective way when you start talking about mitigating the Zika virus," said Zachary Thompson, director of Dallas County Health and Human Services.
Aerial spraying didn't begin in Miami until 15 people were found to have contracted the virus in Miami's Wynwood neighborhood.
Dallas County now plans to begin aerial spraying after the second local case, concerned ground spraying alone won't be enough to kill all the mosquitoes carrying the Zika virus.
"If you're looking at two or more cases, we strongly want to look at aerial spraying," Thompson said. "Of course we have the ground activity in terms of going out with the foggers."
"Aerial spraying is going to be the quick knockdown," Thompson added.
Investigators would begin going door-to-door, collecting urine samples to be tested for the virus immediately after the first case is confirmed.
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"We can do the testing here in our lab or in other labs in Dallas County," Thompson said. "The challenge is going to be going door-to-door and collecting those specimens and getting them tested."
Health departments across Texas are already working together to fight the Zika virus.
"Your federal and state resources may not be as great as we think they are, if there is an outbreak throughout the southern part of the United States," Thompson said.
