"Rising Cases of Leptospirosis in NYC Linked to Rat Urine"

New York City sanitation workers are experiencing an increase in cases of leptospirosis, a rare disease linked to rat urine, with 24 cases reported in 2023 and six cases already in 2024. The disease, which can lead to severe symptoms such as kidney and liver failure, is primarily affecting male workers with a median age of 50. The city's health department attributes the rise in cases to the presence of the Norwegian rat, and climate change may be extending the bacteria's survival. Efforts to control the rat population have gained renewed attention, with the city appointing a "rat czar" and considering ordinances to decrease the rat population.