According to county officials, the increase is due to recent COVID-19 restaurant and business closures.
They say the temporary shutdown has caused rodents, such as rats, to become more aggressive in their behavior in order to find other food sources, which has led to an uptick in rodent incidents in residential neighborhoods.
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"While there is no evidence that rodents can be infected with COVID-19 or spread it to humans, they are still a public health risk and increase your risk of being exposed to diseases," Rockland County Health Commissioner Dr. Patricia Schnabel Ruppert said. "Rodents prefer to feed in and around homes, restaurants, and businesses. But they will settle for scraps from trash bags and cans, private yards, and what they find in the community."
Officials are urging residents to seal holes inside and outside of their homes.
The CDC says residents should also trap rodents around the home and clean up any possible food sources.
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