The Los Angeles City Hall may be getting rid of its carpets soon because of a rodent infestation that brings concerns amid a typhus outbreak. Employees are expressing their concerns over the rodents as well as the fleas that come with them.
Los Angeles City Hall Rat Infestation
Heads at the Los Angeles City Hall are calling for an investigation regarding the ongoing rat infestation at the facility. So far, rats have gnawed on Halloween decorations, decomposing rodents have been discovered in the ceilings, and rat dropping have been found on two floors.
Furthermore, employees have reported seeing rodents in the facility, and some have even been bitten by fleas. The council president even had to move his entire staff out of the city hall for a few days due to the problem with vermin and fleas on the carpets.
As such, City Council President Herb Wesson made a motion asking for a report on the scope of the vermin problem at the City Hall as well as adjoining buildings. Furthermore, he is seeking for a cost estimate on removing all the carpets from the affected buildings and replacing them with alternative flooring. He also wants to look into the plants in the buildings that are attractive to vermin, especially since some employees have reported signs of the rodents nesting in the potted plants.
Typhus Outbreak In Los Angeles
The rodent and flea concerns at the City Hall follow the Los Angeles typhus outbreak that was declared just last October. Back then, authorities noted that the outbreak in some areas were already at epidemic levels, and that both wild and domestic animals were the main culprits for the illnesses, as well as the inhumane conditions in which some people move and live in.
In the case of the City Hall, it is believed that the rodent infestation may have left fleas and flea eggs in the facility, especially in the carpets. This is problematic because typhus is typically transmitted through lice and flea bites. In fact, one deputy city attorney got typhus last year and refused to return to work since November for fear of going back to the building.
In regard to the outbreak, authorities have previously warned people about flea-borne typhus and advised the public against going near wild animals such as rodents
