A spike in aggressive rat attacks in Glasgow has led to over 100 residents requiring hospital treatment. The rise in incidents coincides with a 45% increase in rat populations in the city, raising concerns about public health and living conditions.
Glaswegians are increasingly coming under attack from aggressive rats which have left more than 100 residents needing hospital treatment. A Freedom of Information request has revealed that more than 100 people have required treatment at Greater Glasgow and Clyde Hospitals as the public are increasingly coming under siege by the potentially deadly disease carriers. 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. While the NHS say they are unable to reveal the number of any cases if it was below five, the data shows a spike in the number of attacks between 2019 and 2023. Glasgow Live previously reported how rat populations in the city had increased by around 45% over the period 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. 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
Rat Attacks Glasgow Public Health Disease Transmission Infestations
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