The city of Mount Vernon is taking a proactive approach when it comes to making sure its residents are safe from the Zika virus this summer.

Mayor Richard Thomas is calling on all residents to clean up the city because he says the mess collecting in many neighborhoods could be attracting unwanted mosquitoes to the area that might be infected with West Nile or Zika viruses.

City officials fear that Zika-infected mosquitoes could be headed toward Westchester, but they say that so far, no local mosquitoes have tested positive. The dozens of state residents who have contracted the virus all traveled abroad and were infected outside the country.

In an effort to be proactive, Thomas says he has directed city workers to be on the lookout for potential mosquito attractants such as standing water, "zombie" homes and abandoned tires.

Thomas says those who refuse to clean up could be ticketed or receive a bill from the city if they can't clean.