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Leon County Wants $469,000 For Zika, Just In Case

Leon County is asking the state for $469,345 to pay for emergency Zika response should there be an outbreak. The mosquito-borne virus has been linked to birth defects.
The Florida Channel
Leon County Judge John Cooper on June 30, 2022, in a screen grab from The Florida Channel.
Leon County is asking the state for $469,345 to pay for emergency Zika response should there be an outbreak. The mosquito-borne virus has been linked to birth defects.
The Florida Channel
Leon County is asking the state for $469,345 to pay for emergency Zika response should there be an outbreak. The mosquito-borne virus has been linked to birth defects.

Hoping for the best but preparing for the worst, Leon County officials are asking the state for nearly $470,000 for a Zika emergency plan.

Much of the money would go to controlling mosquitos that carry the virus. The plan calls for monitoring and public education and, if necessary, door-to-door eradication, says storm water superintendent Glen Pourciau.

“We treat any containers that couldn’t be dumped out and dump out all those that can be dumped out and where appropriate we would do some fogging.”

Nearly half the money would pay for aerial spraying. Some of the big-ticket items include backpack foggers, outdoor advertising, temporary workers and overtime pay. So far, there have been no recorded cases of Zika in Leon County.

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Jim Ash is a reporter at WFSU-FM. A Miami native, he is an award-winning journalist with more than 20 years of experience, most of it in print. He has been a member of the Florida Capital Press Corps since 1992.