CDC warns of ‘aggressive rodent conduct’ as lockdowns lift
by AbhishekThe post-coronavirus world could possibly be an actual rat race.
With people all caught inside below stay-at-home orders, rats and different rodents have change into extra aggressive whereas scavenging for meals, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned in a brand new advisory.
Now they could possibly be able to unleash a wave of “aggressive rodent behavior” on an unsuspecting public as society begins to reopen.
“Community-wide closures have led to a decrease in food available to rodents, especially in dense commercial areas,” the CDC stated. “Some jurisdictions have reported an increase in rodent activity as rodents search for new sources of food.”
“Environmental health and rodent control programs may see an increase in service requests related to rodents and reports of unusual or aggressive rodent behavior,” the advisory stated.
The CDC urged residents and restaurant homeowners to seal up holes the place the hangry rats might get inside and to clear up particles and rubbish.
“Follow established guidelines when cleaning up after rodent infestations to prevent exposure to rodent-borne diseases,” the advisory stated. “Fleas are common on rodents. In area of heavy rodent infestations, workers should consider using a repellent registered by the US Environmental Protection Agency…”
Urban rats struggled to seek out meals through the lockdown, and in some instances even resorted to rodent cannibalism.
“They’re mammals just like you and I, and so when you’re really, really hungry, you’re not going to act the same — you’re going to act very bad, usually,” Bobby Corrigan, an city rodentologist, instructed NBC News final month. “So these rats are fighting with one another, now the adults are killing the young in the nest and cannibalizing the pups.”