NYC appoints Kathleen Corradi as first-ever 'rat czar'

New York City has appointed Kathleen Corradi as its first-ever "rat czar" to coordinate city agencies and find innovative ways to cut off rats' food sources and use new technologies to detect and exterminate rat populations. The city also announced the creation of a "Harlem Rat Exclusion Zone" that covers much of the northern half of Manhattan, where $3.5 million will be spent to improve and increase inspections, use equipment such as bait and traps, and harden floors at some public housing to prevent rat burrowing. Rodents pose a serious public health challenge for the city, as they can contaminate food and spread diseases like leptospirosis.