Dangerous bacterial outbreak in Berkeley sparks health alert
SFGATE • • health
Key Points:
- Local health officials in Berkeley reported numerous infected rats and at least two dogs testing positive for leptospirosis near an encampment in the Harrison Street corridor, prompting a public health alert.
- Leptospirosis, a potentially fatal bacterial disease spread through contaminated urine and bodily fluids, thrives in conditions with standing water, garbage, and poor rodent control, especially after heavy rainfall.
- The city designated the Harrison Street encampment area as high-risk and urged residents to relocate at least a third of a mile away to facilitate cleanup and rat abatement efforts.
- While no human cases have been confirmed, symptoms can be nonspecific and may delay diagnosis; the disease does not spread person-to-person but poses a higher risk
