NHS stats show there have been 98 cases of rats causing wounds to arms, hands and fingers while others have been attacked on the faces, legs, heads and toes by the rodents
More than 100 people have been left needing hospital treatment after being attacked by rats in a major British city.
Shocking figures show that attacks are increasing with residents needing help from Greater Glasgow and Clyde Hospitals, after coming under siege by the potentially deadly disease carriers in the city. NHS stats show there have been 98 cases of rats causing wounds to arms, hands and fingers. They also list multiple cases of wounds to faces, legs, heads, toes and other areas unspecified.
It has previously been reported that rat populations in the city had increased by around 45% over the last five years with social housing residents reporting that rat infestations in their homes have doubled, sparking fears that the poorest in the city are being forced to live in slum-like conditions.
Most worrying of all is the rise in reports of diseases caused by the pests, with rat bites causing ulcers, Cellulitis (an infection of finger and toe) and Campylobacter Enteritis (a bacterial infection which can be deadly for the elderly or young). Other cases of infections – including to respiratory systems – are also noted. The latest figures on the hospitalisations comes from a Freedom of Information request by Glasgow Live.
Rats can also transmit several potentially deadly diseases to humans through either direct contact with their urine, faeces, saliva, or bites, or indirectly through fleas, ticks, or mites that they carry. These include Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), Leptospirosis, Rat-Bite Fever, Salmonellosis, Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis (LCMV).
While cases and fatalities are rare in the western world, they carry the potential to cause serious damage including kidney or liver damage, severe respiratory issues, sickness, meningitis or encephalitis. Other diseases passed indirectly include the Plague, Typhus, Tularemia and Rickettsial Infections – though these are very rare.
Chris Mitchell, Glasgow’s GMB cleansing convenor, previously told Glasgow Live that his members have been attacked. He said: “Every single day now I have members telling me they’ve seen rats. I’ve actually had to pull my members out of areas in Glasgow. It’s horrible. I’ve had members hospitalised, bitten and scratched. They carry Hantavirus and meningitis which can kill.
“We have to warn the young guys to tuck their trousers into their boots when they go into bin sheds in the pitch black to avoid getting bitten. The council just keep pointing the finger and takes no responsibility. It’s going to take a fatality before they listen.”
Niall Gallagher, Technical and Compliance Manager at the British Pest Control Association said previously: “Tackling pests is not just about improving living standards but about ensuring that everyone, regardless of income or circumstance, has the right to a safe, healthy home.”
