Human infections from rat urine on the rise in New York City – ABC News
NEW YORK — As the metropolis grapples with a burgeoning number of human leptospirosis cases, a condition propagated by rat urine, health authorities are on high alert. Left untreated, this ailment can lead to severe complications such as kidney failure and liver impairment.
In the preceding year, the city witnessed a staggering 24 instances of human leptospirosis, marking an unprecedented surge.
According to the city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, six cases have already been reported this year, as outlined in an April 12 health advisory. This stands in stark contrast to the preceding two decades, where an average of merely three cases per year were recorded.
Leptospirosis is disseminated through the urine of infected Norway rats, commonly known as brown rats, which dominate the rodent demographic in New York City.
Mayor Eric Adams underscores the city’s proactive approach to rat abatement. “We recognized the gravity of this issue and took preemptive measures against the threat of rat-borne diseases,” Adams remarked.
The city has implemented four rat abatement zones, strategically located in Harlem, the Grand Concourse in the Bronx, Bedford-Stuyvesant/Bushwick, and East Village/Chinatown.
Adams attributes the city’s success partly to the enforcement of mandatory garbage bins, a measure aimed at minimizing direct contact with rats.
“People need to understand the correlation; plastic bags breed rodents. By eliminating plastic bags from our streets, we can significantly alleviate the rat infestation,” Adams emphasized.
Reflecting on the objective of rat eradication, Adams envisions a city devoid of these pests. “The ultimate victory lies in freeing our populace from the terror inflicted by rodents that have overrun our streets,” he asserted.
In 2017, a tragic incident unfolded in the Bronx, where one individual succumbed to leptospirosis, while two others fell critically ill. The outbreak was traced back to a rat-infested apartment building, exacerbated by poor waste management practices.
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