Berkeley Reports Death and Illness from Rat Disease

Health officials in Berkeley say one person died and another got very sick after catching a disease from rats. The two people were living in an RV that had many rats inside it. They caught a disease called leptospirosis from the rats last month.

The city's health department shared more details about what happened on Wednesday. Officials said the pair had been living in an RV that was badly infested with rats. The RV was located about a mile away from a place called the Harrison Street encampment. One person died from the disease, while the other person got better after staying in the hospital for a long time.

City officials are worried about this problem spreading to other areas. Last year, two dogs at the Harrison Street encampment also tested positive for the same disease. The city responded by giving free shots to dogs at the encampment. Workers also removed 40 tons of garbage from the area and talked to residents about staying safe.

The city and Alameda County Vector Control have been catching rats and testing them for the disease. They are doing this work at the encampment and where the RV was parked. The tests show that many of the rats still carry the disease. This is much higher than normal for rats in California cities.

Leptospirosis is a disease caused by bacteria. People usually catch it from mud and water that has been contaminated with infected rat urine. The disease gets into the body through the nose, mouth, eyes, or open cuts. It does not spread through coughing or sneezing like a cold or flu.

Most people who get leptospirosis don't feel sick at all. But some people get symptoms that feel like the flu. If doctors don't treat the disease, it can make people very sick. There are antibiotic medicines that can treat the disease in people, dogs, and cats.

Health officials say most people don't need to worry about catching this disease. But people living in camps, RVs, or other places with lots of rats should be careful. If they start feeling flu-like symptoms, they should see a doctor right away. People who think they have rats should call for help at 510-567-6800.