STUART, Fla.-- At a news conference Thursday, Florida Governor Rick Scott told reporters that 20,000 samples have been taken of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, but not one tested positive for carrying the Zika virus.
The samples were collected from across the state, but none were sent from Martin County.
Steve Noe, Martin County Mosquito Control's project manager, said the department doesn't have the resources to do the job.
"If you're able to have a full-time lab technician to process all of the data and special packaging-- it's hours and hours of manpower," Noe said.
But he said the department is taking advantage of the manpower it has. Staff members are very proactive in the field as they try to control the Aedes aegypti population.
"Our mosquito technicians are doing Zika sweeps all day, every day. We're using very little chemicals-- it's all 'tip and toss'-- because that's where Aedes aegypti breeds," Noe said.
By "tip and toss," Noe means that staff members travel throughout communities in Martin County and tip over containers that hold standing water.
"Boots on the ground is the only way to make any headway against Aedes aegypti," he said.
The department frequently collects samples from the field, and Noe said staff aren't collecting high numbers of the mosquito that carries Zika.
Mosquito Control also sprays pesticide across the county frequently, Noe said.
One man in Rio, who did not want to be identified, said he often sees the efforts being taken in the community and he appreciates them.
That man contracted dengue fever three years ago when there was a small outbreak in the Rio and Jensen Beach area.
"Being in South Florida and knowing there were mosquito issues in the past. It was concerning," he said, in response to when he heard the news about Zika.
He said he felt like he was going to die when he had dengue fever.
"About two or three weeks of being really sick. It was tough to overcome. Really bad fevers, body aches, loss of appetite, severe dehydration," he said.
And he said it was very easy to contract, "Typical day to day activities... just being outside in Florida."
Those with Mosquito Control say they're confident they can control the Aedes aegypti population with their efforts. They say they used the same routines when the dengue fever outbreak happened.
"We were able to defeat dengue and not have it come back," Noe said.
