Rats can transmit a deadly disease among humans, known as Leptospirosis.
(Mirror Daily, United States) – NYC residents are threatened by Leptospirosis, a potentially deadly bacterial disease which is usually spread by infected rat urine. According to the CDC reports, one person died, and at least two others were hospitalized.
This rat-related disease can be spread by a broad range of animals, but the CDC experts believe that the current issue has been caused by rats. Some residents said that it doesn’t matter whether their apartments are clean or not because there are too many holes which the opportunistic animals use.
The officials from the Housing Preservation and Development and the Building Department (DOB) said that besides the rodent infestation, other hazards have been occurring in NYC. More precisely, over one hundred open violations occurred in the buildings investigated by the health authorities.
There is more than a decade since no one has done nothing to address those issues, according to the residents. The list also reveals 25 open violations of the construction code, including cracked and unsupported walls.
This means that the rats found their way in the apartments due to those open violations. The two departments announced that they would take active measures to ensure the safety and health of the residents.
As such, the experts will reduce the number of rates in the affected area and educate the locals about treatment, signs, and precautions. The departments urge people to avoid any contact with rat urine by wearing rubber gloves, eyewear, masks, and boots.
The public health specialists say Leptospirosis bacteria sometimes contaminates soil or water and it can survive up to a few months. Therefore, although the disease rarely spreads among humans, just one infected rat can cause an outbreak among other animals, thus increasing the risk of contamination in humans too.
Based on the reports from the health department in NYC, between one and three cases of Leptospirosis occur every year among residents. It is worth mentioning that in 2006, the rates of infection went up to 26 cases, which resulted in one fatality.
The CDC experts say that Leptospirosis causes a variety of symptoms similar to the flu, such as chills and muscle aches. Also, patients might experience more violent symptoms like rashes, red eyes, and jaundice. The incubation period ranges from two days to four weeks.
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