Over the years, New York, one of the most important cities in the United States, has witnessed a constant number of cases of disease due to the constant rat population.
But according to the city's Department of Health, the number has increased recently, with 24 cases reported in 2023 alone. This is the highest number recorded in a single year.
In 2024, six cases were reported in four months. From 2001 to 2020, the city had three cases per year. This comparison shows the incredible increase in cases.
Birth control trials for mice
New York will experiment with birth control for rats to combat the rodent population.
The birth control pellets will be placed in rat abatement zones covering at least 10 city neighborhoods.
The pellets, which contain the active ingredient called "triptolide", will sterilize both male and female mice and affect ovarian function and sperm cell production.
This is not the first time New York has tried birth control.But with the potential to produce 15,000 offspring a year, mice have always prevailed.
3.5 million dollar mouse fund
Mayor Eric Adams, who declared war on rats when he took office, has formed a special unit to tackle the city's growing garbage and rat problem and asked residents not to use plastic bags.
Adams said, "People need to connect the dots. Plastic bags mean rodents. Remove plastic bags from our streets and you will make a huge contribution to the problem of reducing rats."
The municipality also invested $3.5 million in the Harlem Rat Reduction Zone, an initiative to reduce the number of rats.
Officials noted a 20 percent reduction in rat calls since the work began.
How is the disease transmitted from mice?
Leptospirosis is a potentially fatal bacterial infection that can be transmitted through the urine of infected animals or through contact with water, soil or food contaminated with the urine of infected animals.
Animals that can become infected include dogs, cattle, pigs and horses.
If infected, humans may experience fever, headache, chills, muscle aches, vomiting, diarrhea, cough, conjunctival fluid loss, jaundice and rash.
If left untreated, the disease can cause kidney damage, meningitis, liver failure, respiratory distress and even death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
