Brownsville city leaders want to be better prepared to handle mosquito-born illnesses.

They approved $200,000 in funding for mosquito control on Tuesday, April 21. City leaders said the money isn't just to control the mosquito population; it will also help them learn and be ready for anything.

With the recent rain, Medical Entomologist Yaziri Gonzalez says mosquito activity is already on the rise across 

Brownsville.

While some are just annoying biters, others can carry serious diseases like West Nile, Dengue, and Zika. The allocated funds will help the city be prepared in case of an outbreak of one of these diseases or another.

Gonzalez says the preparation they're doing can make all the difference in an emergency situation,

"In case of an emergency, in case we need to acquire larvicide, which is for the larva, the immature stages of mosquitoes, or adult aside, for adult mosquitoes, that we make sure that we're ready," Gonzalez said.

The city is also putting some of that effort into transparency.

A mosquito alert app is now available for residents. You can report standing water, track where crews are treating for mosquitoes, and get notifications before spraying happens in your area.

The app is called Brownsville Mosquito Notices and can be downloaded in your app store.